


Let's Count the Stars!

by MissDaji



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X, Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Comedy, Drama, Events of MMX4 and MMX8 didn't happen in this universe, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Set 2 years after MMX Command Mission, Slow Romance, With images from the games to illustrate some scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:28:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27140419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissDaji/pseuds/MissDaji
Summary: X fears that Zero may one day be gone forever without knowing his feelings for him. Thanks to a dream, he makes up his mind and prepares to confess his love that same day. Will he muster up the courage? What will Zero say? Lots of romance with a sprinkle of comedy.
Relationships: X/Zero (Rockman)
Comments: 68
Kudos: 34





	1. The Tipping Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely adore ZeroX and this is my homage to this beautiful couple! I hope you'll like it!
> 
> I originally wrote and published this fanfic in Spanish on Fanfiction.net (I'm Faerie-Aisha), Wattpad and this website under the title "Contemos las Estrellas!"; I was very meticulous when rewriting it in English (it's more of a rewrite than a simple translation, many details have been changed) but please don't hesitate to tell me if you find any mistakes or non-native expressions. :)

**Prologue**

**: : \ A Fateful Nightmare / : :**

_It was a peaceful night and yet, X was having a restless sleep. On his pale face, beads of sweat shone through the dark. He was having a nightmare. Zero, his best friend and secret crush had come back from a mission in a critical state. He had fallen unconscious in front of X and had been taken away by Lifesaver and his team. Alas, repair attempts resulted to be futile as Zero ended up closing his eyes forever under X’s defeated gaze._

**Chapter 1**

**: : \ The Tipping Point / : :**

I woke up abruptly, my body shaking and my cheeks bathed in sweat. Realizing it was only a nightmare, I sighed with utter relief. I had already seen Zero _die_ before and yet, if he were to pass away again… I wouldn’t be able to live on this time.

Over a year before having that nightmare, I realized my feelings for him went beyond comradeship and admiration. And when it finally dawned on me that I had romantic feelings for him, it seemed so obvious I was amazed I took so long to figure it out. The Maverick Wars had without a doubt kept my mind busy… There hadn’t been time to introspect about what I felt for my ex-commander. A new conflict with Sigma used to emerge each year, but it had now been over three years since we last fought him. Mavericks still abounded of course, but none was ever close to representing a threat as major as Sigma. Therefore, we practically considered these peaceful times, except we could never know for sure if Sigma had been destroyed once and for all. This is probably the reason why I started having more and more nightmares of Zero dying on me… Aside from losing him, I also feared I would forever lose the chance to tell him how I felt. The recurring nightmares were a sign of this ever-growing dread.

It may have been the extreme lucidity of that dream, but I suddenly knew I couldn’t keep postponing it. My intense fear of his reaction gave place to courage and determination. That morning, I finally decided to let Zero know I loved him, and I decided it was going to be that same day. That nightmare was the tipping point. I closed my eyes and checked my schedule; the letters and numbers appeared behind my eyelids, glowing in the dark. A training session with my unit was planned from 7 AM to 12 PM but I was free for the rest of the day.

* * * * * *

It was a little after midday when I dismissed the hunters under my command. Knowing all units used to congregate at the canteen after morning training sessions to take a break, socialize, or regain some energy, I knew I’d probably meet Zero there. Just like human beings – but in much smaller quantities – Reploids need to breathe oxygen and drink water, and food is one of our sources of energy besides solar radiation or charge pods. And so, delicious aromas invaded my smell sensors as soon as I entered the vast canteen. I stood close to one of the multiple entrances while looking for Zero amidst the crowd and finally saw him. He was sitting at a table with Axl and Massimo. The latter was eating with what seemed to be an out-of-this-world appetite, while the former two had only ordered drinks.

I spent some seconds looking at Zero from a safe distance, assessing how I should approach him and which exact words to use. And slowly but surely, I started growing nervous, very nervous. I began to regret my decision and – believe it or not – every ounce of courage was now nowhere to be found! So, I didn’t approach him, I didn’t talk to him, I did precisely _nothing._ It may have been the simple act of seeing him, of watching his beautiful cobalt eyes and his charming smile that destroyed all the courage I had gathered throughout the morning thanks to the nightmare and by repeatedly telling myself ‘Be strong X!’. Despite all that, I couldn’t walk up to him and simply tell him to meet me later to talk alone. No, I couldn’t muster the courage… Disappointed with myself, I turned around and left the canteen. And that I did without a problem! How I wished I were brave enough to stop over-thinking and just tell him everything without a second thought! Could it really be that hard? I guess everything was more complex when Zero was part of the equation…

While I reflected on my actions, I stopped paying attention to where I was going. When I snapped back to reality, I thought I was lost since I didn’t recognize where I was. Call it a hunter’s intuition but I quickly realized someone was secretly following me. I kept on walking through the corridors full of hunters and other staff as if nothing, hoping to discover their identity. The Reploid was skillfully hiding his presence, and I couldn’t even guess the distance that separated us. Slightly worried, I started walking faster, but they still followed me. I took a turn and hid behind a wall, waiting for them. I waited and waited and suddenly couldn’t feel the Reploid’s presence.

**_Was it all in my head?_ **

Right when I had that thought, a deep voice surged behind me, “What are you doing?”

The voice belonged to Zero! It startled me so much I let out a very embarrassing cry and almost activated my buster.

“Zero!” I raised my voice with anger. “I could have shot you!”

“And I would have dodged easily.” An amused smile adorned his face.

“You wanted to talk to me…?”

“I should ask _you_ that question. I followed you because I noticed you were staring at me at the canteen. You seemed troubled but then you left. Did you want something?”

I was astonished. He was chatting with Axl and Massimo and I had been standing fifty meters away from them and had looked at him for no more than ten seconds, and he still managed to feel my presence as well as my distress. When Zero saw the amazement on my face, he felt the need to explain himself.

“These last few weeks, my unit and I have been following a special training regime focused on fine-tuning our senses. Guess it paid off.” He chuckled. “So, are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

I suddenly remembered my purpose for going to the canteen and blushed. His prank had sidetracked me. I was supposed to ask him to speak privately and tell him the time and place to do so. The truth is I hadn’t yet decided on the details, as the nerves had created a heavy fog inside my head. I clenched my fists and told myself it was now or never, and while my face was as red as Zero’s armor, I said, “I just wanted to… Do you… Do you think we could meet tonight, just the two of us? Outside, in front of the base?”

I had finally said it! The first step that would start it all…

“Alright.” Zero seemed a little surprised since it was the first time I asked him something of the kind. “What time?”

I realized my nervousness was showing through my quivering hands, but I managed to give him an answer. He noticed it, and since I felt vulnerable under his analytical and penetrating gaze, I felt my cheeks get even warmer and I wanted to leave as soon as possible. I looked at him one last time, turned around, and started to walk away when Zero took hold of my arm.

“Is it something serious?”

I smiled softly. He was worried. He let go of my arm and when I turned to face him, he asked me one more time. I simply replied, “No, but it’s important… for me.”

He stared, puzzled by my answer. 

“What about me?”

My smile grew.

“I don’t know.”

I have no idea why I smiled. It may have manifested as a smile but I was actually filled with sorrow. I needed to tell him how I felt, but I already knew what his answer would be.

* * * * * *

The sun had started to set. All afternoon, I couldn’t stop worrying about my meeting with Zero. I attempted reading to distract myself but I couldn’t focus. I tried to train again on my own but my nerves had made it impossible. At one point, I even started to count the seconds pass. I was losing my mind! Feeling defeated, I returned to my room. I lay in my charge pod and turned on some music hoping it would help me calm down. But as soon as I felt my body relax, I found myself imagining all the possible reactions Zero could have when I’d tell him I was in love with him.

**_In a good scenario, Zero will simply think I’m joking, laugh and ask me if it’s a prank. He could also believe I was dared to do it or that my system suffered some kind of damage during my last mission. If this happens, I’ll have no choice but to go along with it. Now, if I’m being realistic, Zero will be astonished, tell me that I’m just a friend, and eventually grow apart from me._ **

It was depressing…

**_Or perhaps even worse: he could get mad._ **

It was less probable, but the thought made me apprehensive.

**_But then again, maybe I’ll just dream a little…_ **

I started daydreaming of a cartoonish version of myself running into Zero’s arms in slow-motion, telling him I love him with hearts in my eyes while he’d tell me he loved me back. I started laughing; it is so nice to dream sometimes!

Suddenly, an alarm interrupted my daydreaming, reminding me there were only five minutes left before our meeting. Panic washed over me and I quickly rose only to hit my head against the glass of my pod. I had stood up with such haste that my head really hurt! It made me realize that panicking would serve no purpose and that I seriously needed to calm down, take a deep breath, and simply go and do it. I couldn’t mess it up. I got out of my charge pod – without hurting myself this time around – and filled myself with courage by telling myself ‘You can do this X!’ with a forcibly cheerful voice.

It only took some minutes to reach the base’s main entrance and I walked through the massive doors. As we were nearing the end of autumn, I felt the cool breeze of the night on my face and shivered. It was already completely dark outside but the moon was bright and the number of visible stars in the sky seemed higher than usual. It was a beautiful night. For the second time that day, I felt the strength of my determination.

I walked on the artificial grass that surrounded the Maverick Hunters’ headquarters and leaned against an electronic tree while I waited for Zero. Minutes passed. I was wondering if I got there too early when I suddenly felt somebody blow air in my left sound sensor. It made me blush and shiver and I quickly turned around, practically ready to fire at whoever had done it. When I discovered I was going to shoot my best friend and the one who appeared in my dreams, I turned a deep shade of red.

“Zero!?”

“It’s too easy to catch you off guard.”

I never would have thought he would do something like that! It was out of character! I remained quiet because I had trouble believing it, and we stood staring at each other for a minute – him smiling while I gawked at him – and I cannot explain what happened, but we suddenly burst out laughing together under the moonlight.

As soon as we calmed down, Zero asked me, now completely serious, “Let’s get straight to the point, X. Why did you call me out here?”

I wasn’t expecting the question so soon, but I told myself it was to be expected knowing Zero’s personality.

“Let’s sit down first.”

We sat on the grass facing the artificial forest nearby. I could not help bending my legs and putting my arms around them as if protecting myself from what was coming. I knew it was time.

I gazed at the moon over our heads and my cheeks started to warm up once more. I lowered my eyes and the nerves started to take hold of me. I was looking in every direction except for Zero’s when I closed my fists.

I turned my head to face him with a burst of courage and shouted, “Let’s count the stars!”

“What...?”

I couldn’t do it! I messed up! I had never felt so embarrassed, cowardly, and ridiculous as in that exact moment. I had suggested we count the stars – a stupid excuse to waste time – when I was supposed to tell him I loved him! And just like an idiot, I started pointing and counting the stars one by one, all while I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.

Zero’s eyes widened at first, and then he furrowed his brow.

“X, I haven’t got the slightest idea what you’re trying to tell me but it would be best to take it seriously. I thought you said it was important.”

His words felt akin to an enemy shot straight to my chest. It immediately restored my rationality. What I wanted to say to him was indeed very important to me. I had to tell him or I would end up regretting it one day and never forgiving myself for it. Nonetheless, I couldn’t avoid imagining Zero’s reaction when I’d tell him and it saddened me. He noticed it and put a hand on my shoulder to comfort me.

“The faster you say whatever you need to say and the less you’ll suffer. I don’t understand what could be so hard to put into words. What’s the worst that could happen?”

I knew the answer to that.

“That we completely grow apart…”

His eyes clouded with concern.

“And the best that could happen?”

“That you think the same as me… But that’s impossible…” A pause. “Do you understand now why this is so difficult?”

Zero stared at me in silence.

“Being a pessimist doesn’t suit you, X. I may think the same as you.”

He gave me a gentle smile to give me courage. I believe it was effective because I found myself parting my lips, ready to tell him the secret I’d kept for over a year.

“I… What I wanted to say was…”

I looked him in the eyes. He looked so handsome with the wind shuffling his gold hair and I found myself swimming in the pools of his eyes. I started to recall all the meaningful moments I had spent at his side. Zero saving me from Vile at the beginning of it all; Zero comforting me while I cried for the loss of our comrades after a mission; Zero standing between Sigma and me on the battlefield, ready to sacrifice himself again for me.

All these images flashed past my eyes and gave place to a final image where he was walking away, looking at me with disgust, and I couldn’t reach him. I grew scared. My breath accelerated. I was still looking at him, but I was now looking at him with dread. I started to drown in the pools of his eyes; everything started spinning around me and losing all trace of color. I didn’t understand what was happening. It all came to an end when my field of view grew completely dark, and while I heard Zero yell my name, I lost consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this! Let me know what you think (my friends don't like yaoi and have no idea what MMX is so any chance to exchange with other ZeroX fans is highly valuable to me). :)


	2. Cinnamon's Lunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter introduces new obstacles for X and unusual couples in the MMX fandom, and there is still so much to come! Happy reading! :)

The first thing I felt when I regained consciousness was discomfort. I opened my eyes and saw a roof so white it almost blinded me. I quickly realized I was lying on the cold steel of a regenerating bed and deduced I had been brought to the Repair Center. All memories previous to losing consciousness slowly came back. When I regained them all, I cried Zero’s name but no sound was generated. Darn… What a complete and utter failure… I had succumbed to my nerves and had lost consciousness right before telling him. Zero and I knew each other for so long and he was the most important person in my life. The stakes were too high… Still, I was angry with myself. I clenched my fists.

“I’m so stupid!”

This time my voice was heard and I felt something move at my side. I sat up and saw that Axl was sitting on a chair beside me, sleeping with his head on top of his crossed arms on my bed. Even though he was sleeping, a playful smile was plastered on his reddened face and a trickle of saliva was escaping from his slightly open mouth. I furrowed my brow, wondering what kind of dream he could be having with such a facial expression.

My train of thought was interrupted by the sound of friction between metals. In a corner of the room, sitting on a steel bench, was the leader of the 0th unit, fast asleep. I didn’t think it possible but he looked even more stunning when his face had a peaceful expression, his eyes closed while his imposing chest rose with the rhythm of his steady breathing.

Two thoughts crossed my mind simultaneously: the first was to run up to him, shake him to wake him up, and shout that I was sorry. The second one was to slowly walk up to him, caress his cheek to wake him up, and end up kissing him as a way to explain myself. The truth is no scenario could become a reality as the former was too desperate and the latter was made for a version of myself that didn’t know any shyness, an XXX version that wasn’t me!

Suddenly, the door opened and Lifesaver and Cinnamon entered the room. When they saw I had regained consciousness, Lifesaver was unfazed but Cinnamon let out a cry of joy.

“X, you’re up!”

Her chirpy voice woke both Axl and Zero up. To my surprise, Axl threw his arms around me and was so happy he nearly crushed me. Cinnamon quickly exited the room and came back with Alia, Massimo, Marino, and Nana. They all stood around my bed, asking me how I felt, telling me they had been waiting for me to wake up and were all speaking at the same time. Knowing they had been worried about me and were happy to see me well filled me with gratefulness. But the person who would have made me even happier was standing far apart with his arms crossed…

As soon as everybody calmed down, Lifesaver explained to me, “X, there is nothing wrong with your system. Your body must have forced a shutdown following an intense surge of anxiety. This is very rare but it’s not the first time I’ve seen it happen. Take it easy for the following days and you should be fine.”

“By the way, you should thank Zero; he carried you here while you were unconscious.” Added Cinnamon.

The mental image of Zero carrying me made me blush and we all looked at him. Unlike the rest, he wasn’t near my regenerating bed and was standing close to a steel bench on the corner. He was gazing intently at me as if Cinnamon hadn’t mentioned him, and we all fell silent. Guilt started to gnaw at me – I felt uncomfortable and lowered my eyes.

After a few seconds of silence, Alia suddenly said, “Hmm… It’s almost midnight. I think we should let X rest now, don’t you agree?”

Suspiciously, everybody agreed. They exited the room one by one except for Massimo who hadn’t understood Alia’s intentions and was staring at Zero with confusion. He then turned his head to stare at me, then back at Zero, and before he could turn to stare at me again, Alia reentered the room and took him away by force.

They had left the two of us alone. I got up and without being able to look him in the eyes, I started to blabber, “Zero, I… I’m sorry… What happened was –”

With a hand gesture, he asked for silence. I raised my head to look at him, surprised.

“It’s okay, I don’t need an explanation. You must have your reasons. You can come speak to me when you’re ready. I’ll wait.” He told me with his typical cool demeanor.

Zero then turned around and walked to the door while I followed him with my eyes in silence. Before leaving, he stopped and said, “I’m glad you’re okay. I was worried.”

He gave me a warm smile and left the room.

* * * * * *

Around 8 AM, Cinnamon woke me up and her smile was one of those that make you forget all qualms and want to smile back. After our mission in Giga City, Cinnamon, Marino, Massimo and Nana had decided to join the Maverick Hunters and the nurse had become Lifesaver’s assistant. When she was pouring some synthetic orange juice for me, I mentally laughed and thought that if it had been Lifesaver who would have come to wake me up with his apathetic face, I would have still smiled as I felt in high spirits. It’s as if I had forgotten my failure of the previous day when Zero revealed he had been worried about me. I know it wasn’t much but he didn’t express his feelings frequently so I learned to take what I could get.

On top of it, I felt the disaster had made me stronger. I now knew I wouldn’t be able to do my love confession without any sort of preparation, that I needed a plan. I had started forming it when Cinnamon interrupted my train of thought.

“X, I’ve got news: three that are good and one that is bad!”

“What is it, Cinnamon?”

“What do you want to hear first? The good or the bad news?”

I smiled. Professor Gaudile had programmed her with the innocence of a child.

“I’ll let you choose.”

“Okay, I’ll start with the good news then! The first one is that Lifesaver told me you are free to leave at 10 AM. The second one is we are having lunch at noon with everybody today! You didn’t forget, right?”

It was the first Saturday since Cinnamon had made me promise along with Zero, Axl, Alia, Marino, Massimo, and Nana to have lunch all together every Saturday at noon. I felt bad because she was right to think I had forgotten…

“And the bad news is…” She paused.

“I’m listening.” I said while taking a sip of juice.

“Iris is coming back to the base today.”

The shock made me spill my drink.

“What did you say?”

I wanted to leave Earth!

Six years ago, during the Erasure accident, Iris had worked for the Maverick Hunters as a navigator. She hadn’t stayed long with us but had done all she could to get close to Zero in that short span, sticking to him wherever he went. Zero didn’t seem to mind the company and when I spent time with the two of them, I couldn’t help but feel like a third wheel. I still hadn’t realized my feelings at the time so when I saw Iris flirting with him or putting her arm around his, I thought my dismay was due to the fact she was monopolizing the little time I had with my best friend and not the person I loved.

Nevertheless, I didn’t know if they had ever dated. What I did know is they had been found kissing once. Or perhaps even more than kissing… Although nothing may have happened just as well: Zero was practically a living legend among the hunters so there were a lot of rumors going around. Should they have started dating, I believed he would at least have told me about it. However, Zero didn’t like talking about himself so there was no way of knowing for sure… The most painful thing was that all hunters wanted to see them be an item. I knew this because some navigators had sent a survey to all staff members where over two hundred Reploids had voted and Zero and Iris had won the title of Hunter Base’s most good-looking couple.

“When will she arrive?” I asked with apprehension.

“That’s the third and last good news: she will arrive late, around 7 PM.”

Unfortunately, it wouldn’t make much difference had it been sooner or later.

“Understood… Thank you, Cinnamon.”

She was almost leaving when I suddenly realized something.

“Wait, how did you know this would be bad news for me? You haven’t even met her.”

Cinnamon remained quiet. She smiled, but instead of giving me her typical childish and joyful grin, she was now giving me a knowing and gentle smile. For the first time since I met her, I suspected she was much wiser than she appeared to be.

* * * * * *

After Cinnamon left the room, I tried figuring out how she knew I had a crush on Zero because I hadn’t told a soul. I made a mental note to myself: I would have to talk to her about it someday.

An hour later, Axl and Massimo came to visit me. When Axl copied Lifesaver’s shape to make an impression of him and make us laugh, that’s when a great idea came to mind. I was able to formulate the perfect plan. What I needed to do was explain my problem to Axl and ask him to take on Zero’s form so that I could practice my love confession in front of the real deal – that way I could learn to manage my nerves. It was an excellent plan! I sighed. No, it was pathetic! It was the only thing that came to mind… That’s how desperate I was. After all, I hadn’t expected Iris to suddenly come back to Hunter Base… I could take my time to confess before but it was a race against time now because if Zero and Iris started dating, there was no way I would tell him my feelings as it would be very wrong for me to do so.

I left the infirmary after thanking Lifesaver and Cinnamon and visited the Training Center. I did some solo training inside a simulation room even though Lifesaver had told me to take it easy. Unlike Zero, I had never liked fighting, but it was hard to stay idle when my mind was in such turmoil.

Afterward, when I took a short break at the canteen and was drinking water at a table, I saw Axl and Marino enter the canteen while holding hands. Wait… Axl and Marino were holding hands…?

**_Have they started dating!?_ **

I saw them sit at a table, place their order on the hologram screen, and while they waited for a small mechaniloid to bring them their food or drinks, they started kissing.

**_I can’t believe it. They really are dating._ **

As for the rest, I saw it happen in slow motion. Apparently, Massimo and Nana had been sitting in the canteen and watching them from afar. When Axl and Marino started kissing, Massimo and Nana practically ran to their table to stop them. They were clearly disgruntled and an argument started among the four. On one side, Nana and Axl were arguing. On the other side, Marino seemed annoyed by the interruption and Massimo appeared to be about to cry. It was all very confusing. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear a word from where I was sitting. The only thing certain is that I had to intervene or else a real fight would have begun in the middle of the dining hall. Thankfully, everyone eventually calmed down.

Something very strange had just happened… First of all, Axl and Marino seemed to be dating. How and when did that happen? It was already quite unexpected but that wasn’t all. When they had kissed, Marino and Nana had gone berserk – or at least Nana, as Massimo looked more hurt than anything – and my head had filled with even more questions.

**_They’re jealous…_ **

I could understand why Massimo was jealous because I had noticed his fondness for Marino since the beginning, but what about Nana? Did she happen to like Axl? I never would have guessed. It seemed all they did was argue after all. When Nana had joined the Maverick Hunters, she had become the 14th unit’s navigator and Axl had recently been promoted to leader of this unit. Even though Nana appeared to be imperturbable when we first met in Giga City, Axl seemed to get on her nerves easily.

Despite the awkwardness, the promise to Cinnamon was kept and the lunch wasn’t canceled. At noon, we all reunited in an old meeting room where she had covered the long table with a vibrant blue tablecloth and natural yellow tulips at the center. Flowers that weren’t synthetic were rare in our times. On the table – in front of each seat – were two forks and two knives of different sizes, a small spoon for dessert, two crystal glasses, and a plate with a napkin on top that was the same color as the tulips. The windows had been opened wide to let as much sunlight in and a sweet breeze welcomed us inside.

I felt bad for Cinnamon… She had put a lot of effort into planning the perfect lunch and the previous scandal had made it quite awkward.

Cinnamon sat on one corner of the table and told us to seat wherever we wanted. Due to his size, Massimo sat on the opposite corner. Marino sat next to Axl, and Nana sat as far away from them as possible. Alia came a little later and took a seat beside me. I noticed a spot remained empty. Wait a minute… Where was Zero? I wondered why he couldn’t come – unless he had forgotten – and grew slightly concerned. Had his unit been dispatched on a mission? I told myself there was nothing to worry about though, as Zero knew how to take care of himself. After all, he was the 0th unit’s commander, an S-A class hunter, and had even been the leader of the Maverick Hunters for a time. He certainly could take care of himself! I smiled with admiration. Even though I had become an S class hunter and the 17th unit’s commander, I still felt a huge gap between us.

“Thank you for coming guys! I’m glad you could make it!” Cinnamon exclaimed.

“The pleasure is all ours.” Alia replied.

And that was practically all that was said until Cinnamon brought the food to absorb the tension and fill the silence caused by the canteen’s accident.

“Shouldn’t we wait for Zero?” I asked before eating. “Unless he isn’t coming of course…”

They all looked at me a little surprised but agreed to wait for him. Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait long. 

“Zero!” Some exclaimed with joy.

“Sorry I’m late. Douglas stopped me on my way here to talk about a new machine he’s working on and I couldn’t make him stop.”

Curiously enough, Zero looked full of energy and more cheerful than his usual self. I immediately thought:

**_Did someone tell him Iris is coming back?_ **

“Don’t worry Zero!” Cinnamon said. “Come and sit down with us.”

“Thanks for waiting for me.”

“Actually, we would have started to eat if it weren’t for X.”

“Is that so?”

Zero looked at me and I couldn’t avoid blushing a little (but only a little).

“Thanks, X.”

I may have heard Axl whisper, “Just get a room you two”. But thankfully, his comment was completely ignored.

Zero took the empty seat alongside Marino and we started eating. Throughout lunch, his energy and good humor succeeded in enlightening the mood. Nana and Massimo were finally able to think about something other than the newly formed couple, and Axl and Marino kept their hands to themselves. When Zero talked, I couldn’t avoid staring at him in awe. It sincerely elated me to see him happy.

After finishing our desserts, Alia, Nana, and Marino started sharing some gossip. Apparently, the commander of the 7th unit was secretly dating a recruit. This was frowned upon in the organization, as unit commanders were the ones who gave hunters their rankings. While they chatted, something caught my attention. Cinnamon was the only girl who didn’t join in the conversation. Perhaps she didn’t like gossiping. I was looking at her when I realized the other girls were staring at me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“X, we know nothing of your love life.” Marino stated, interrupting the silence. “Alia told me you haven’t had a girlfriend yet, right? So, we were wondering… Is there someone you like?”

Feeling everyone’s gaze upon me, I started feeling awfully uncomfortable. Marino had asked a very personal question! The way she asked was as if I was testifying in court and she was the plaintiff’s attorney.

Everybody was waiting for my answer. I gave in under the pressure and admitted, “Yes, there’s someone…”

I did not get to see the facial expressions of those around me as my eyes were fixated on my hands under the table, but I heard some laughs and cries of joy. I seriously wondered what had taken over me.

“Can you tell us who it is?” Marino asked right away.

The room went quiet again. I raised my gaze to meet hers. Her eyes had a glint of mischievousness. I was never going to answer but before I could dismiss her, something astounded me as well as everyone else. It was the fact of seeing Zero quietly get up and say, “I’m leaving” and exit the room.

There was a long silence before everyone started talking at the same time, wondering what had just happened. Some of them were hoping I’d know the answer but I was just as confused as everybody else.

Alia felt guilty and tried to go after him but Marino stopped her.

“Don’t waste your time.” She suggested. “We all know that when Zero gets like that, he listens to no one.”


	3. Zero is Precisely the Chance He'd Like Me

It was a quarter past 4 PM. I was pacing in my room with a head filled to the brim with questions. Why did Zero leave so suddenly? Was he… annoyed? Something was certain: he didn’t want to be part of the conversation. A conversation whose subject was the person I liked. We had all finished eating but why did he decide to leave at that precise moment? I sighed. An inner voice wanted me to believe he didn’t want to know who I liked because it would upset him, but I quickly dismissed it.

**_How stupid can I be? Zero doesn’t see me that way… If he were to like someone, why would he choose me? He’s the base’s ‘hottest bachelor’ as Alia likes to call him; every girl in the organization feels some degree of attraction towards him. He could pick any one of them. There’s nothing unique about me, nothing to make me stand out among all of them. And worst of all, I’m not even a girl!_ **

The odds were stacked against me from the get-go. Same-gender relationships among Reploids were not condemned but weren’t common either.

Every time I felt some kind of spark between us or believed I saw something in the way he looked at me, after any sign that contradicted my beliefs, I repeated to myself, ‘zero is precisely the chance he’d like me’. I would keep repeating the phrase until exhaustion. I was terrified of getting my hopes up. I was already going to be hurt by his answer; there was no need to make it even more devastating…

Inside me, safely hidden away in the smallest corner of my heart, I did keep a seed of hope. The hope that I could one day walk with Zero, side by side, not as friends but as lovers. However, I never allowed myself to water the seed and let the plant grow. In fact, I even had trouble admitting its existence.

I finally stopped pacing around. I walked to the door and told myself:

**_Zero must have recalled there was something he had to do or was expected somewhere. Besides, the subject of conversation must have bored him…_ **

I left my room.

I wandered the hallways of the base, deep in thought. Zero would probably never see me as more than a friend but I had to keep the promise I had made to myself the day before. I wouldn't be able to die in peace without telling him how I felt. I needed to in case I’d lose the chance forever… After all, who knew how soon we’d leave for a mission where one of us wouldn’t make it back?

“X!”

The energetic voice made me snap to reality. I suddenly noticed Axl was standing in front of me looking slightly irritated.

“I just walked past you and you didn’t notice me at all! Are you okay?”

“Sorry, Axl! And yes, I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?”

I changed the subject, “By the way, are you busy right now? Could we perhaps talk about what happened this morning at the canteen? If you don’t mind.”

“Of course, X. Anything for my childhood hero!”

It definitively wasn’t the first time I heard Axl say that Zero and I were his heroes but it always made me quite uncomfortable.

The redhead was slightly shorter than me, always full of energy, even reckless at times, and wasn’t one to mince his words (I still can’t forgive his lewd joke during lunch). At first, I didn’t want him to join the Maverick Hunters but he was a stubborn kid. In the end, he showed me he was talented and reliable and I had no choice but to acknowledge him. Ever since then, I haven’t regretted my decision once.

“First of all, congratulations to you and Marino! I honestly didn’t see it coming but I’m happy for you both.”

“Actually, we already broke up. Well, Marino broke up with me. She felt bad for Massimo. I wanted to continue so that I could make Nana jealous but –”

“Wait, what? You already broke up? And you’re saying you wanted to make Nana jealous? So… you like her?”

“Come, let’s go somewhere else, we’re in the way here.”

We walked out of the hallway and into the base’s lobby, stopping near a four meters tall window.

“Anyways, as I was saying… When I told Marino I wanted to make Nana jealous and told her about my idea, she thought it could be fun. We weren’t a real couple, you know?”

“Oh. Okay.” I tried not to think about it too much. “You do like Nana then…”

“Yes, but I think I made a mistake. She got much angrier than expected! All this time since she saw us kissing, she hasn’t talked to me at all.”

“You mean... since this morning…”

“Yes, and it’s terrible! I don’t know what to do!”

His facial expression was that of a man about to be guillotined in the village square. It was absurd at first but then I started feeling sorry for him.

“Well, at least you know she likes you back. If she got mad about that it must mean she really likes you.”

When he heard what I said, he froze and opened his eyes wide.

“Axl?”

But he still wouldn’t move so I placed my hands on his shoulders and started shaking him.

“Axl! What’s wrong?”

A formidable grin appeared on his face. His electronic pupils finally focused on me while his smile started to scare me, and in the blink of an eye, he noisily pecked me on the lips.

“Yes! She loves me!” He shouted then hugged me.

Flushed, I was in shock and couldn’t hug him back. Axl noticed and let me go.

“Oops! I’m sorry X, it wasn’t my intention, it was the emotion. Oh, that rhymed!”

He wouldn’t stop laughing.

I sighed. Axl could be quite crazy sometimes. And apparently, he was crazy in love with Nana. He looked ecstatic. Incredible… Those who knew them both would never imagine they had a crush on each other; they used to bicker all the time. Nonetheless, I was sincerely happy for them.

**_Having your love requited must feel out of this world…_ **

I decided to leave Axl in the middle of his euphoria, but before I could leave, he grabbed my arm and said, “Thank you for helping me see things clearly! If there’s something I can do to thank you, anything at all, just say the word and I’ll do it.”

I seldom saw him look so serious.

“Are you sure? Anything at all?” He nodded and I continued, “As a matter of fact, there’s something I wanted to ask of you…”

* * * * * *

Axl and I walked into the vast artificial forest near the base. We stopped at a beautiful space between the electronic trees where the leaves filtered the sunlight. It looked like sun rays were raining in on us. An even brighter light suddenly emanated from Axl and I raised an arm to cover my eyes. In the spot he had occupied, now stood an imposing and much taller Reploid. In front of me, Zero furrowed his brow. It was amazing; the fake Zero was indistinguishable from the real one. Even after seeing Axl copy the shape of another Reploid multiple times, it was still hard to get used to his special ability.

“You really think this will work?” He crossed his arms.

Even his voice was the same.

“I hope so… In any case, it will be better than to practice in front of a mirror.”

To practice my love confession in a setting that was as close to reality as possible, I had asked Axl to copy Zero’s appearance. It would allow me to plan what I would say and learn to manage my nerves. I honestly don’t know how I found the audacity to ask such a favor…

“You better not chicken out after all of this!”

Knowing how my last confession attempt had ended, it wouldn’t be farfetched… It was better to stay quiet. However, when I told Axl I liked Zero as more than a friend, he was barely surprised.

“I knew it!”

“What!? How did you know? Is it that obvious?”

“It wasn’t obvious to me at first. What happened was I overheard Alia and Marino talking about you once. Based on specific hints, Alia was telling Marino she thought you were in love with Zero. At the end of the conversation, Marino wasn’t particularly swayed but it did convince me. I think that’s the reason why they asked you who you liked at lunch today, to see how you’d react.”

I was mortified. Alia must have seen how emotional I’d become when Zero had to risk his life and pilot the shuttle towards the Eurasia space colony, when I feared he could go Maverick afterward, or when Isoc had publicly tarnished Zero’s reputation…

“By the way, I’m giving you a hand only ‘cause you seem desperate.”

He stood in front of me with his arms crossed and narrowed eyes, and I noticed that compared to the real Zero, his gaze was very different. It wasn’t as intense and pervasive.

“Hey!”

Axl cackled with laugher.

“No, seriously, I don’t know why you go to such lengths to prepare your love confession when it’s likely that Zero feels the same way too.”

“What…?” His words startled me but I tried keeping my cool. “Come on… I find that very hard to believe.”

Still maintaining Zero’s form, he walked up to me and stood so close I couldn’t think straight anymore. I tried not to blush but failed miserably.

“I actually have proof.” He smirked.

“What…? What are you talking about?” My artificial heart started beating even faster.

“Two of them even. But you won’t have them free of charge. For every proof I give you, you’ll have to do something for me in exchange.”

“But…”

“Do we have a deal?”

I was dying to know why Axl thought Zero could like me. At that moment, all rationality was thrown out the window and I was bursting with curiosity and anticipation. However, Axl would be asking for something in exchange for each ‘proof’. I hesitated at first, then suddenly an image of Iris appeared in my head and I felt I had no choice.

“Alright. What do you need me for?”

Axl’s smirk grew even larger. I started regretting right away.

“First of all, could you help me record a message for Nana? I want to apologize and maybe even explain what that was all about.”

I sighed with relief. I would gladly help him with that.

“Deal.”

Axl returned to his original shape and shook my hand to seal the deal.

“So, the first proof.” He started. “You may know this already though. During today’s lunch, near the end when the girls were gossiping, did you notice?”

“Notice what?”

“Really, X?”

“I don’t –”

“While you were focused on Cinnamon, didn’t you feel Zero’s gaze on you? He was looking at you for a while. He was practically devouring you with his eyes!”

My eyes widened and I blushed way too much. ‘Devouring’ me? Why did Axl have to say it like that? Nevertheless, I guessed he could be saying the truth to some extent. I remembered observing Cinnamon for a while, wondering why she wasn’t joining the conversation. I had been so engrossed I hadn’t noticed Alia and Marino talking about me. Zero, or anybody else for that matter, could have stared at me all they wanted without me noticing it.

“But… It’s more likely he did that because Alia and Marino were talking about me.” I rectified. “As a matter of fact, he wasn’t the only one; everybody was looking at me. That’s how I realized they were talking about me in the first place.”

“He was staring at you long before you were the subject of conversation.”

“How did _you_ notice it?” I asked, still skeptical.

“I was stealing glances at Nana throughout lunch, and at one point she was observing Zero so I took a peek to see what the deal was. And bingo! He was looking at you like you were an energy tank found right before a Maverick boss fight!”

“Axl, aren’t you exaggerating a little?”

“His eyes remained on you far longer than what’s considered a normal glance, okay?” He answered, slightly annoyed. “Do I look like I’m lying?”

I remained quiet, deep in thought.

“Be that as it may, I wouldn’t consider one glance – as long as it may have been – to be enough proof.”

Axl shrugged his shoulders.

**_Zero is precisely the chance he’d like me; zero is precisely the chance he’d like me!_ **

“And how do you explain the fact he left just as you were going to say who you liked?”

I didn’t know what to say; I didn’t have a definite answer.

“See? And if you still have doubts, I have more proof, and this one’s solid!” He winked at me.

That aroused my curiosity and with it came contrasting emotions. I was elated to imagine that something could exist between the two of us, and yet, I felt an undeniable fear of getting my hopes up. I seriously hesitated before answering him, but the seed of hope inside me came out triumphant.

“What must I do so you can tell me?”

Axl grinned with mischief in his eyes.

“It’s something that’ll be beneficial to us both.” I didn’t like the tone of his voice. “Let’s be real here, X! We aren’t the most experienced guys out there.”

“I don’t see where you’re going with this...”

“Well… I was thinking we should practice how to kiss... you and me, together…”

“Excuse me!?”

Axl had lost the mischievous grin and was now smiling nervously while passing a hand through his hair. I was in a state of disbelief.

“If we practice together, we’ll be ready when it’s time to kiss our crushes.”

Seeing how his face was a deep shade of red, I couldn’t avoid blushing as well.

“Axl, I don’t know…”

“You have so much to lose if you reject my offer. Not only won’t you learn how to kiss, but you will also miss my best proof.”

“What makes you think I don’t know how to kiss?”

Axl gave me a look of pure skepticism. Slightly hurt and embarrassed, I started to consider his proposal. But only five seconds passed before he threw himself at me and kneeled at my feet.

“Please, X!”

His eyes reminded me of a puppy’s.

“I don’t understand. Why do you want this so much?”

“If you really believe Nana likes me, I’ll have to tell her my feelings soon. That means a kiss will come up, right? But I’ve never done it before! Can you imagine if my lack of experience messes it all up?”

“What about Marino? You’ve kissed before!”

“Those were just pecks! I’ve never had a _real_ kiss if you know what I mean… Please say yes, yes?”

I took a long deep breath. To be honest, his motivations had moved me a little. I could understand his worries to a certain degree; but more than anything, it was hard saying no when he looked so helpless.

“Okay, fine.”

Axl stood up and for a second, I thought he would hug me again.

“Yes! Thank you!”

“But first, tell me the ‘proof’.”

“Yes sir! So, do you remember two years ago in Giga City when Zero was brooding and we went to the rooftop to enjoy the view and try to cheer him up?”

“Yes, he was furious because Spider and Marino had spread the rumor that he wanted to date Cinnamon.” The memory made me laugh.

“And do you remember when two girls approached us and took you aside?”

“Of course. They were resistance soldiers and they told me they were fans of mine; one of them even confessed her love to me… I was so embarrassed I had trouble speaking! Girls usually go to Zero so that caught me off guard.”

“You know what Zero told me through clenched teeth while he looked at you three? He said, ‘if I ever see them close to X again, I swear I won’t hesitate to use my saber’. My jaw was touching the floor!”

“What…? Is that true…? But, why?” I suddenly realized. “Such an uncharacteristic reaction… Spider and Marino must have truly angered him…”

“In any case, he was jealous! Don’tcha get it?”

I couldn't stop the exhilaration from taking over me. I couldn’t suppress it any longer.

“Do you honestly think he could like me?” I asked coyly.

“Absolutely!” He started laughing. “X, if you could see your face right now, it’s one-of-a-kind! Your eyes are glistening and you look like a can of red paint was spilled on you!”

The cartoonish imagery of me running into Zero’s arms in slow motion, saying ‘I love you’ to each other, came to mind. I was in the middle of my daydream when I felt Axl’s hands on my shoulder.

“Axl?”

“Now, can we practice?”

“Ah… Yes, I guess so…”

“I can copy Zero’s shape if you prefer.”

“No!” I exclaimed practically panicking. There was no way I could blush even more. “That wouldn’t be okay…”

I didn’t even want to imagine it; I was afraid my circuits could overheat.

“Gotcha.”

We remained in silence for a while, each of us unable to do the first step. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Axl put his hands on my shoulders. I grew nervous and closed my eyes. My hands started quivering while I waited. His face was so close to mine that I could practically feel his expiration on my skin when we suddenly heard some Reploids nearby.

“My radar indicates Axl should be very close now.” A female voice said.

We quickly separated before none other than Nana and Zero walked into our field of view.

**_Darn, that was close! What would have happened if they had seen us kissing? Zero would have thought I liked Axl, Nana would have been hurt once again and eventually, everybody would have known about it!_ **

“Sorry to interrupt, I came looking for Axl because I need his report on our last mission. It’s been pending for several days now.” The navigator explained.

Since we both stayed quiet, clearly uncomfortable, and because our faces were most likely red, Nana started to suspect something was going on.

“What were you two doing alone in this secluded place?” She asked.

Axl got defensive.

“That’s none of your business.”

Zero was carefully looking at us. If he hadn’t suspected a thing until now, Axl’s tone had probably betrayed us.

“And what were _you two_ doing together?” Axl retaliated.

“Since Zero was on the mission with you, I thought he could help you finish the report so I asked for his help. He already sent his to his navigator.” She replied with her patience wearing thin.

“Please, let’s calm down.” I urged.

They all shifted their gaze to me. For a moment, I looked back at Zero and flared up with embarrassment remembering everything Axl had told me.

“Nana, I don’t know what you believe was going on here but I can assure you nothing weird happened. And Axl, I’m sure it’s the same with Nana and Zero.” Or so I hoped.

“Precisely.” Zero confirmed.

“Whatever.” Axl said.

The conversation was cut short as we were suddenly distracted by a noise coming from the sky. We raised our heads: in the distance, a large aircraft was quickly moving in our direction.

“What the…?” Zero mumbled.

What grabbed his attention was the emblem on the vehicle’s side. It wasn’t any generic airship that would land in front of the base. Without a doubt, the emblem belonged to the Repliforce.

It filled me with unease as soon as I recognized it.

Iris had already arrived!


	4. Start of a New Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm fully aware Reploids don't need to breathe as we see X and Zero stay underwater without any time constraints during game-play. I'll have to ask you to bear with me for the duration of this chapter. I originally wrote this part when I was a teenager and not particularly focused on sticking to canon... I do regret it now, but I couldn't delete this part without impacting the rest of the story.

“What is the Repliforce doing here?” Zero wondered out loud.

His question surprised me.

**_He didn’t know Iris was coming back then?_ **

“It’ll land in front of the base. Let’s find out what they want.” He suggested.

Everyone was puzzled except for me who already knew who would be coming out of the aircraft. Zero, Axl, and Nana started walking towards it and I followed, feeling anxious. When we exited the electronic forest, the vessel had landed but its doors were still closed. Several Reploids had come out of the base, notified by the noise. I distinguished Signas, Alia, and Douglas in the crowd. With no trace of surprise on their faces, these three seemed to be the only ones to know a Repliforce ship was coming. There was complete silence when its doors finally opened, and General followed by multiple Reploids with the Repliforce emblem on their armors marched out. It was a spectacular parade as the members of Repliforce always walked with their heads up high, emitting elegance and honor.

Right away, Signas, Alia, and Douglas went to shake their hands. More and more Reploids exited the aircraft but Iris was nowhere to be seen. Without realizing it, I held my breath until I finally noticed, right behind Colonel, gently walking through the doors, Iris, just as beautiful as I remembered her.

I glimpsed at Zero at my side. He was startled to see Iris but I couldn’t identify any other specific emotion. He turned to see me and asked, “Did you know they were coming?”

“No, I didn’t.” I lied to him and felt horrible about it.

He remained quiet while looking at me, and for a second, I felt as if he knew I was lying.

“I’ll go greet them. Are you coming?”

“You go first, I’ll join you later.”

Without another word, Zero left my side and went to join the group. My eyes stayed on him until he reached them and greeted the leaders of the Repliforce. Unsurprisingly, Iris ran up to him with stretched arms and he hugged her back. He was first taken aback but then laughed.

**_Who wouldn’t be happy to hug such a pretty girl like Iris?_ **

I thought with sadness.

“I’m afraid you have competition, X.” Nana stated.

“I know…”

Suddenly realizing, I turned my head towards her in shock.

“How did you –”

“Axl told me while you were looking at Zero.”

“Axl!” I shouted. “That was a secret!”

“Come on! Everyone knows rules are made to be broken and secrets made to be shared!”

“Seriously?” I despaired. “Please, just promise me, both of you, that you won’t tell a soul about this! Do you imagine if Zero were to find out through rumors? It would be catastrophic…”

“Guess so…”

“I promise.”

I turned my head to look at Zero in the distance. Signas, Alia, and Douglas were still conversing with General and Colonel while Zero and Iris were chatting on the side. Without being able to hear a single word, I noticed their lips were moving quickly, probably from the excitement of seeing each other after so long. To my surprise, instead of crushing my last seed of hope, the wish to accomplish my love confession was amplified. I turned to face Axl and Nana who were already discussing the fifth reason why Zero and I would be compatible as a couple and exclaimed with renewed determination, “Axl, I want to practice my love confession now!”

And that’s how the whole evening was spent. Axl had copied Zero’s shape and imitated his behavior while Nana had helped me choose my words – although I knew it would serve no purpose because I would likely forget them as soon as I’d have Zero’s eyes on me, waiting for me to reveal my deepest secret. The two of them had acted out the possible scenarios using extreme mannerisms as seen on some TV dramas and we had all laughed. Axl had promised Nana he would send her the mission report before midnight and they had gotten along without a hint of bickering. The young navigator had no reason to stay angry with Axl because he and Marino had broken up and now that she knew I liked Zero, her suspicions about Axl and I had no reason to be. I was sincerely happy for them.

Since Nana most probably liked him back, Axl had a low risk of being rejected. Plus, he didn’t have big competitors as far as I knew. On my side, the risk of being rejected was probably 100% (alright, maybe 99% based on Axl’s ‘proofs’) and I had several major competitors all over the organization, without counting my most feared rival Iris. Yes, it was very promising indeed.

In conclusion, my love confession was akin to a kamikaze mission. Completing my goal was a simple question of nerve, but coming out alive... that would require a miracle.

* * * * * *

“X!”

“X, wake up!”

My eyes snapped open. Through the darkness of my room, I couldn’t see who was pounding on the glass of my charge pod.

**_How did they get in my room and what do they want in the middle of the night?_ **

“Dang, you are hard to wake up! I was about to break the glass and carry you outside myself.” A deep and slightly irritated voice said.

I recognized the voice immediately.

“Zero, is that you?”

Knowing he of all people was in my room made me flustered.

“Come out, quickly.”

“What’s wrong? What time is it?”

I pushed a button and my pod opened wide.

“Around 4 AM. Guess you didn’t hear the fire alarm.”

Although his voice was calm, he spoke with haste.

**_A fire? Has there been a Maverick attack?_ **

I started to get seriously worried. I promptly got out of my pod and heard Zero opening my bedroom door.

“Wait, I need to turn on the light.”

“The power is out for security measures.”

“Right, because of the fire… I should have known better.”

“Your vision hasn’t adapted to the darkness?”

“My eyes may adapt a little, but I’m unable to see in complete darkness, Zero.”

He swiftly approached, took my hand, and started walking. My blush deepened. His hand was very warm… I was grateful that the lights were out as he wouldn’t be able to see the color of my cheeks.

“I’m sorry you have to guide me…” I whispered.

When we entered the sleeping quarters’ main hall, smoke penetrated my olfactory sensors and Zero started walking even faster. My eyes had had time to adjust to the darkness but because of all the smoke, it was just as hard to see. I had no other choice than to let myself be guided by him as he had an amazing sense of direction. As a matter of fact, one of his unit’s specialties was the ability to move in complete darkness. They all had the specs for it and specialized training enhanced this skill even further. Zero knew where the closest exit was and I trusted him completely.

The amount of smoke made it hard to breathe and I started to cough. Right away, he handed me some kind of device he had been using. I hadn’t noticed until then because of the low visibility.

“Put this over your nose and mouth. It will filter out the smoke.”

I didn’t know what to say. Like many times before, Zero was prioritizing my wellbeing over his. I felt grateful yet guilty at the same time. I wanted to give the contraption back, but he had sounded so strict since I woke up that I didn’t dare oppose him.

“Where did the fire originate?” I asked. “Is it a Maverick attack?”

“No, I heard the origin was a short circuit in a server room – the one belonging to the base’s locking system. It’s the reason all locks have gone haywire and why I could get in your room while many got stuck inside theirs.”

Not everyone in Hunter Base was equipped with weapons strong enough to destroy doors – many didn’t have weapons at all – and thus he predicted right away what I would ask next.

“Don’t worry –” He paused to cough. “All units including ours are taking care of that as we speak.”

I couldn’t help smiling. Zero knew me well.

“Do you know if everybody we know is safe?”

“I think so.”

His cough worsened.

“Take this back.” I removed the filtering device and handed it to him. “I’m not the only one who needs it.”

But he rejected me and said, “Keep it. I’d rather die than have something happen to you because of me.”

And he started coughing once again. I was shocked and moved to hear such powerful words coming from Zero. It made me feel special but it was so rare to hear him say those things I didn’t know how to respond. In hindsight, I should have told him, ‘And I won’t let anything happen to you either. Not under my watch.’ (Although I probably would have died of embarrassment...)

Since his cough didn’t seem to calm down, the only thing I could do was silently pray for us to get outside as soon as possible. My prayers remained unheard because when we finally reached the nearest exit, the gate was sealed shut.

“What the heck? I came in through this gate, and now it isn’t working?”

Before I could say something, Zero let go of my hand and drew his saber. He started slashing at the armored gate to make an opening but was only leaving massive burn marks. I activated my buster and told him to move aside. A flickering blue then green light emanated from my core while I charged, illuminating our surroundings and reflecting in the walls and Zero’s armor. Completing my maximum charge, I released the huge ball of plasma and blasted the gate open, letting moonlight penetrate the building.

“Well done, X!”

We were finally outdoors, feeling the fresh breeze of the night. I sighed with relief. We had managed to escape unscathed.

In the distance, we could see the evacuated staff surrounding the building. Many had concerned expressions while looking at the base and some were focused on helping others. Zero was still coughing a little so I asked him if I should seek a medical Reploid.

“Don’t worry. I won’t die so easily.” He smirked.

“In that case, let’s find out what we can do to help out.”

Some time passed before we heard an explosion. The flames had probably reached a small deposit of gas or fuel inside the base. Everybody was startled and we heard Massimo yell to some fellow hunters, “Marino and the rest of her unit are the only ones left inside; we must go check on them!”

Everyone had evacuated the building by then but Signas had ordered one unit – the one Marino was part of – to check for any remaining Reploids. Some hunters tried stopping Massimo’s group, warning them of the danger especially after an explosion, but Massimo pushed them aside rather roughly and ran inside the base. I realized I had never seen him look so determined. His top priority was making sure the person he loved was safe, and I understood him completely. Thus, I knew changing his mind would be impossible.

“We should help Massimo!” I told Zero.

“There’s no need to endanger more of us. Marino’s unit is very capable and Massimo is already being accompanied by talented hunters.”

I couldn’t object to that so I stayed quiet, albeit anxious.

**_When will this nightmare end?_ **

“Wait, what about the Repliforce? Where are its members?”

Iris may not have been my favorite person but it didn’t stop me from worrying.

Zero looked around before pointing a finger at a spot in the crowd. Among her peers, Iris was covering herself with a blanket at her brother’s side. I smiled.

“Colonel was seemingly trapped inside his room so I had to send some of my hunters to rescue his sister in his stead. Or he sleeps just as deeply as you and didn’t hear the fire alarm.” He teased.

“What? You sent hunters to help Iris? You didn’t do it yourself?”

I instantly regretted asking those questions. Zero could have found it suspicious…

“No one had seen you. I had to make sure you were safe.” He replied nonchalantly but it brought a vibrant blush to my cheeks.

“Speaking of which… Thank you for looking after me again, Zero. I’ve been a burden to you so many times, I hope this can be the last…” I admitted with shame and returned the air-filtering device to him.

“No need to thank me. You can rely on me, X.”

My electronic heart was pounding hard while we remained in silence for a minute.

**_He came looking for me instead of Iris… Does this mean he cares more about me than about her?_ **

As feelings of hope and happiness seized me, making me feel warm all over, the base’s main doors opened and a small group of Reploids got out. Cinnamon ran towards them and Zero and I followed suit. The group told us that it was precisely Marino who had saved them but that halfway through, the ex-thief had gone back to look for the robot puppy belonging to one of them. Amid the chaos, panic, and darkness, the poor metal pet had been forgotten.

“That's when we heard the explosion…”

“Oh no!” Cinnamon shrieked, raising her hands to her mouth.

“And now Massimo is in there…” I muttered with concern.

“I trust Massimo. I know he’ll get her out safe and sound.” Zero said, fully convinced.

As Cinnamon healed those who had suffered burns, Axl saw us and approached. He was extremely happy to see that Zero and I were alive and well but at the same time concerned about Massimo and Marino. At the end of a long and stressful wait, the main doors of the base opened once again. My anxiety suddenly evaporated when Massimo appeared amid all the black smoke that was now mixing with the fresh air outside, carrying in his arms an injured Marino who in turn held the robot cub in hers. Right away, the three of us began to applaud as did a large part of the base’s staff.

Massimo had never looked so proud of himself. In Giga City, the massive Reploid had been full of hesitation, and although his self-assurance had improved greatly over time, he was still uncertain as to deserve the name of Massimo The Brave. Inheriting the Resistance hero’s name had put great pressure on him. But now, with the look he was giving Marino and the way he carried her so confidently, it was clear that he wasn’t afraid of anyone or anything anymore. Marino noticed the change, and couldn't hide the admiration in her eyes for the new Massimo. Axl was probably right when he declared, “Love at first sight!”

Marino hadn't truly noticed Massimo until now.

* * * * * *

The fire had been extinguished and the nightmare had finally come to an end. There were no fatalities and the wounded were being taken care of by Lifesaver, Cinnamon, and the rest of the medical staff. It had been a miracle. While many hunters watched the sunrise, my thoughts were focused on Zero by my side. I was very touched to know he had prioritized my well-being over Iris’s… It made me believe he wasn’t in love with her, and if that wasn’t true, at least I knew I was in some way more important to Zero than her.

**_Perhaps… against all odds… I may have a chance…_ **

I dared to think, full of hope.

**_No matter what, I have to do my love confession this evening._ **

I suspected nothing could make me change my mind. And yet, at that point in time, it was impossible to predict what would happen that same evening…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sure love me some foreshadowing *maniacal laugh*
> 
> On a different note, I have a question for you: do you think canon Axl can change into X’s or Zero’s shape? In Command Mission, Massimo jokes at one point that Axl could take Zero’s shape to gain a new ally (after Zero leaves to fight on his own). It made me wonder, would that even be technically possible (their bodies are supposed to be complete “mysteries”)? What do you guys think?


	5. Race Against Time

I woke up under the morning sun and promptly remembered everything that had happened the night before. After the fire had been extinguished, I had fallen asleep on the grass beside Zero while he watched the sunrise. Nevertheless, I didn’t recall falling asleep under a blanket.

**_Perhaps Zero…?_ **

I got up and trod towards the main gates while being careful not to wake those that still slept on the artificial grass. After walking inside the base, I was surprised to see the lobby had already been cleaned and felt ashamed to have overslept when I should have been lending a hand. Smoke from fires leaves a thin layer of foul-smelling grime on any surface it comes into contact with. Thankfully, the smoke had only circulated in a relatively small portion of the base. I went looking for people to help but the sleeping quarters’ main hall had already been cleaned too so I walked to the canteen.

When I arrived, I was astonished to find all of my friends – Zero, Alia, Axl, Nana, Massimo, Marino, and Cinnamon – cleaning the space up. Iris was helping out as well. The floors were covered with soapy water and rock music was blasting through the vast room’s built-in speakers. Zero and Axl were holding high-pressure water hoses while the rest mopped the floor and small bots cleaned the walls as well as the roof. Alia and Nana were singing along and handling their mops as if they were microphones, and Marino and Cinnamon were dancing together and laughing. It was quite a sight.

I approached them slowly, fearing I’d otherwise slip on the soapy floor. Axl was the first to notice me.

“Guys, look who’s here!”

Everyone turned their heads towards me and smiled. While I said hi, I noticed Axl winking at Zero. The kid approached me suspiciously – I could sense it – so I asked him what he was planning. In the blink of an eye, he activated his water hose in my direction but I managed to dodge the jet of water. However, Axl wasn’t the type to give up easily. He activated the hose once again and gave me no other choice than to start running. While the others laughed, I asked him to stop but he wouldn’t listen. To make matters worse, I realized he was leading me towards Zero who was waiting for me with another hose in hand and a mischievous smile, ready to shower me with freezing water. When I realized it was an ambush, I promptly changed direction but it was a terrible idea… I slipped on the soapy floor and fell on my rear.

Alas, it didn’t stop there.

I was sliding on the floor like Chill Penguin (except I was sliding on my rear) with such velocity that Zero didn’t have time to sidestep and I hit him head-on. On impact, the 180 centimeters tall robot fell on top of me – who was barely over 160 centimeters tall – and we slid some more before ending in a very compromising position: we were both on the ground, our bodies parallel to each other with Zero on top of me. I was mortified and he looked stunned.

It had happened so fast! With our legs intermingled, his chest pressed against mine, and our faces just inches from each other, I was afraid he would feel my artificial heart frantically pounding in my chest. Desperate to hide my burning cheeks, I wanted to untie myself from the embarrassing position as fast as I could but he wasn’t moving.

“Zero, please… let me stand up…”

As soon as I spoke, he seemingly snapped back to reality then swiftly got up. I was able to catch a glimpse of embarrassment on his face before his emotions were perfectly under control once again. He offered a hand to help me stand up and I took it. Seeing the state I was in, I certainly needed the assistance. The nearness, as well as the heat and scent that his body exuded, had weakened me…

I wanted to die from embarrassment – everybody and I mean everybody was staring at us and only Alia was strong enough to break the silence.

“Are you boys okay?”

“We’re perfectly fine, why wouldn’t we be?” Zero replied.

“’Cause you slid several meters across the floor?” Axl said mockingly.

The look Zero gave him could have killed.

“Please forgive me X, Zero…” Massimo said while putting his massive hand on my shoulder. “But you have to admit that was hilarious! Not even in your Hyper Modes did I see you fly so smoothly!”

The awkward silence gave place to laughter and I silently thanked Massimo.

“Okay, that’s enough, let’s get back to work. This place must be spotless by noon.” Zero stated with authority as if to change the subject, and no one disobeyed.

All of a sudden, I felt a mysterious hand touch my arm and I turned to face them.

“I believe we haven’t greeted each other yet. How are you doing, X?”

Displaying a beautiful smile, Iris was standing in front of me. I tried hiding my surprise. I hadn’t expected her to come and say hello to me but honestly, who was I kidding? The rivalry I felt towards her was one-sided. I was aware of that.

“I’m… doing fine.” There was a short silence in which I feared she would ask me why I had faltered. “What about you? What brings you back to the base?”

“I reckon you’ll find out soon.”

Our conversation was cut short when Marino interrupted and handed us mops. I didn’t get to ask Iris what she meant but she was right, I would find out pretty soon.

I spent the rest of the morning cleaning the vast dining hall, my mind afar, overflowing with dark thoughts. I couldn’t avoid keeping my eyes on Iris, but then my eyes would unconsciously avert to the source of my greatest joys and sorrows, Zero, and my dark thoughts would take on vibrant colors. It reminded me I had to express my love that evening and since then, I felt as if my artificial stomach contained a huge rock that was impossible to digest.

When the place was sparkling clean, my anxiety reached such levels that I broke into a thousand pieces. But I had to pick myself up and arm myself with courage so that when the majority had left, I was able to approach Zero without stumbling or trembling and I said to him, “Do you have a minute?”

“What is it, X?” He turned his majestic figure towards me and I had to resist the urge to flee.

“Do you remember what I wanted to tell you the other night? Well, I –”

“You’ll finally speak?”

“Yes, today I will.”

“Good. Let’s meet at 1800 hours then, same place you and Axl were yesterday.”

Before walking away, he gave me one of his typical penetrating gazes, as if he could read my mind that way and discover what I wanted to tell him but couldn’t. Right away, I noticed that Iris hadn’t been far and felt she had been watching us and listening to our conversation. I shook my head, wanting to believe it was just a feeling.

* * * * * *

It was 5:30 PM when the doorbell to my room rang.

“Come in, it’s unlocked!”

The automatic doors opened, letting an overexcited Axl and Nana in. I had told them my meeting with Zero would be at 6 PM so they had insisted on seeing me before to encourage me. I thought I would be feeling fine so I had accepted. The truth is my face was a horror show, so terrifying that when Axl saw me, he practically screamed.

“Damn it, X! You’re simply confessing your love, not sacrificing yourself!”

I stayed silent. It was practically the same thing for me.

“X, are you going like that? I thought you could accessorize to look even more handsome so I brought you some things.” Nana said.

She got a pearl necklace out from a bag, then a fake fur jacket, followed by red lipstick and a Christmas garland. Before she could take out more atrocities, I activated my buster and destroyed the bag. Nana’s eyes opened wide.

“Told you he wouldn’t like it.” Axl pointed out.

“I’m sorry… I appreciate your concern, I really do, but…”

They were making me more nervous than anything else!

“I know, I know, we’ll leave you alone now. But first, can we come with you to the meeting place?”

“We’ll be quiet, I promise.” Nana added.

“That sounds good.” I smiled, sincerely grateful for their support.

And that’s how we found ourselves going through the main doors of the base and walking to the artificial forest together. It was only 5:45 PM but it looked like the night had already fallen. Dark clouds were upon us and thus I prayed it would only start raining after everything had ended. Axl and Nana wanted to stay by my side until the very last minute.

My heart rate accelerated with every minute passing by. Before, I had been afraid of how Zero would react, but now I also feared making a fool of myself should I ever fail again. If that happened, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself because – due to Iris’s arrival – it had become a race against time. And so, I felt trapped inside an hourglass, afraid to end up drowning in the sand…

We arrived at the meeting point – a sanctuary among the electronic trees where I had practiced my confession along with Axl and Nana the night before. Since it was still early, Zero hadn’t gotten there yet.

“I think you can go now; I’ll wait for him here.”

“Will you be okay?” Nana asked me with concern.

“He’ll be fine, it’s just a love confession after all.” Axl replied in my stead. “X has defeated Sigma like what, eight times now? A love confession is nothing in comparison!”

Axl was right and yet, those things couldn’t be compared. Fighting was my area of expertise. I had been built for it despite the fact I loathed doing it. Expressing my feelings, making myself vulnerable, putting myself at the mercy of the one most important to me, that was harder…

Sigma. If I had managed to defeat him every time, it was because Zero was at my side.

Suddenly, we heard a noise coming from among the trees nearby. I checked my internal clock.

“It’s not yet 6 PM but it’s probably him.” I said.

**_He probably wanted to startle me as usual. But this time he wasn’t stealthy enough._ **

I walked towards the noise, followed by Axl and Nana, through a cluster of electronic trees. It didn’t take me long to find the source of the noise and then… my optical sensors saw it.

The sound had been a moan of pleasure.

The owner of the voice was a female Reploid.

She had moaned with pleasure in between kisses.

Behind a tree, in a world of their own, Zero and Iris were kissing.

I froze in place. I even forgot to breathe for a second. My eyes probably lost all color while I stared at them, almost as if my system was receiving the data but couldn’t or wouldn’t process it. Axl and Nana quickly pulled me away, thinking I would lose my sanity if they wasted one more second.

What happened afterward is a mystery to me… I simply cannot remember in detail the days that followed. Even to this day, that part of my memory is still hazy. Was the shock so big it temporarily affected my long-term memory? Or did my system automatically delete the memory of those days as a way to protect itself? I wouldn’t be too surprised if Dr. Light had programmed my system with a feature of the kind.

My friends told me I had locked myself inside my room, that I had let no one in, much less Zero who had come to check on me, worried by my sudden disappearance. I had even neglected my role as leader of the 17th unit, and Alia had had to lie to my hunters when I missed a training session – she had told them I was being repaired following an S-type mission.

Everybody later told me they didn’t hear a single sound coming from inside my room. It must have hurt so much I believe I didn’t shed a tear. I was too weakened to even cry. My body had become a hollow shell, my soul defeated by Iris.

I cannot say I didn’t see it coming but between visualizing it and see it become reality… I didn’t expect it to cause so much pain. I recognized that confessing my love before they started dating wouldn’t have changed a thing but… I had secretly hoped it would. When my last drop of hope evaporated and I found myself with naught, that’s when I understood how lonely I felt.

Except, I was being selfish. As soon as I realized I was only thinking of me and forgetting Zero’s feelings – because that’s what I had done; I hadn’t once thought about his happiness, even though that was the only thing that mattered –, when I acknowledged my pain was insignificant compared to what others could be feeling after losing a loved one to a Maverick attack, that’s when I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I hadn’t lost Zero, nor his friendship. The only thing I had lost was _what we_ _could have been_.

Three or four days after, when I decided to leave my room, I felt myself resurface, finally able to breathe again.

* * * * * *

Reploids could go far longer than human beings without eating and drinking but it had almost been five days since I last ate and drank. I could have gone to the canteen to regain some energy but I decided against it, knowing it was usually crowded. I was feeling better but I still wasn’t ready to come across someone I knew, and most of all, I wouldn’t endure an encounter with either Zero or Iris. Thus, I decided to visit the base’s digital library or cinematheque to distract myself.

On my way to the Entertainment Center, I remembered I would be walking close to the canteen but it was too late. Just as I had feared, in one of the many immaculate hallways of Hunter Base, I came across some familiar voices. From where I was standing, I couldn’t see them nor be seen, but I could hear them. Once I heard my name, I couldn’t help stopping in my tracks.

“We didn’t want to come to this, but…” I recognized the melodic voice as Nana’s.

“But there’s no other way. Seeing X like that… we can’t take it anymore.” Said an energetic voice similar to Axl’s.

I felt a pang of guilt for making them worry…

“I know. I’ve had enough as well. Either way, it’s not as if we can force him to talk.”

**_That voice… That voice was Zero’s!_ **

My first instinct was to run as far away as possible but fierce curiosity had kept my body in place.

“Actually, we know what’s going on with him, Zero. And that’s why we wanted to talk to you, ‘cause you’re the only one who can fix this.” Axl said.

**_Wait… What are they planning to say? Please tell me they aren’t planning to tell him, right? Right?_ **

His words enraged Zero.

“What are you talking about? You two know the reason why X has locked himself up in his room for four days straight now, and you waited until now to tell me?" His anger seemed to increase with each new word.

“How dare you be angry with us when X’s like that ‘cause of you!” Axl shouted, his voice sullied with irritation.

I was overcome with the desire to get out of my hiding spot and interrupt their discussion. I couldn’t stand seeing others fight because of me, especially people I cared so much about. I sincerely wanted to intervene but – as hard as it is to believe – my body was paralyzed. Paralyzed with the fear that my most intimate secret would soon be revealed. Instead, I was stuck in place like a fool, unable to do a single thing to prevent my soul from being stripped bare.

“Wait, you’re telling me I’m the one to blame for his current state?” His anger subsided.

“He’s devastated because you and Iris… have become a couple…” Nana whispered, and I envisioned her blushing with embarrassment, ashamed to be telling him.

“Iris and me?” Zero repeated with skepticism. “Are you trying to tell me X had his eyes on Iris?”

“Are you serious? X is in love with _you_!” Axl ultimately revealed the truth, practically shouting.

I felt as if my electronic heart was ripped out of my body.

“What..?” Shocked, Zero sounded almost breathless. “That’s not possible… That can’t be it…”

His words filled me with hope. If he didn’t believe them, then nothing would change.

“Zero? Are you okay? You don’t look too good.” Observed Nana.

“I have to make sure… I need to hear it from his own mouth…”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ll ask him myself…”

“When?”

“Now.”

“Now as in _right now_?”

“Yes, right now.” Zero had recovered from his state of shock and sounded gravely determined.

A wave of panic flooded my circuits, washing away all traces of hope. If Zero managed to find me and ask if I was in love with him, I wouldn’t be able to lie. And in the vulnerable state I was in, his rejection – because it was now certain that I would be rejected, Iris was the tangible proof – would be fatal.

I started to run.


	6. Calm Amongst the Storm

As soon as Zero said he would confirm it himself, he started moving. As terrified as I was, I wasn’t careful enough with the noise that could betray my presence when I started to run and I prayed they didn’t hear me.

Where would Zero go first? Certainly, to my room. He still believed I was locked up inside it. That would give me some extra minutes. Once he would see my room was empty – I hadn’t locked my door and never did during the day – he would come looking for me.

I had to leave Hunter Base without wasting another minute.

Thanks to some dashes, I left the hallway before Zero could see me and took the path to the main lobby. There, I would use one of the many elevators and reach the basement. I would borrow a ride chaser among the ones hunters used when there was an emergency in the city, and I would go to the subterranean town where the remaining inhabitants of Abel City had transferred after the impact of the Eurasia space colony.

I would spend some hours there hoping Zero could – by the time I came back – cool down and give up on the idea of asking me directly. Perhaps it was naïve of me… But I would at least have time to get used to the idea and gather the courage to confront him.

I reached the subterranean hangar and let a security mechanism scan the red gem on my helmet as a way of ID. The doors opened instantaneously. Being a unit leader allowed me to borrow a ride chaser anytime I needed and not exclusively during emergencies.

I dashed one last time towards a ride chaser, and before getting on it, I noticed my hands had stopped shaking. I felt more confident now that I had a plan. Nonetheless, I hesitated before getting on the vehicle: I admitted I was taking drastic measures and wondered if it was the best solution. After all, I was literally running from the problem instead of solving it for good. I hated being a coward – that wasn’t what Dr. Light had expected of me.

While I reflected on my actions, one of the many automatic doors opened wide and someone came in. A voice instantly echoed throughout the hangar, making every molecule of my body tense up.

“X!”

I stopped moving completely. I was even afraid to breathe. But I remembered my previous train of thought, that it wasn’t in my programming to be a coward, and I turned towards the voice.

“Zero…”

**_How did he find me? Did he hear me when I dashed out of the hallway? Could he have been following me since then?_ **

“What are you doing here?” He asked, suspicious.

I could feel the tension in the air.

“What… are _you_ doing here?” I dared to ask him back, evading his question.

It was almost insolent of me, but I was trying everything not to panic.

“I asked you first.” He noted, slightly irritated.

It reminded me of the conversation we had before undertaking that horrible battle following the Eurasia crash. Suspecting one another, believing the other could have already gone Maverick, leaving us with no other choice than to fight each other… I remembered it well and with great disgust, and the conversation was starting to give me a similar feeling.

Zero shortened the distance between us. Since his arrival at the hangar, he had locked his eyes on me and hadn’t deviated them once. I couldn’t hold his gaze for long; I was ashamed to have been caught running from the crime scene, despite not knowing if Zero was aware I had heard his conversation with Axl and Nana.

While he grew closer, my breathing had steadily increased in speed and my hands had started shaking again.

Before opening his mouth, there was a long and excruciating silence. Panic was consuming me from the inside out, which is probably the reason why I couldn’t budge.

“I need to ask you something.”

I kept looking at my feet without saying a word, frozen with fear of rejection.

“X, look at me.”

I believed that if I looked at him at that moment, I wouldn’t be able to hold it and tears would be shed again. Seeing him now could only remind me of their passionate kiss…

“I asked you to look at me.”

But I didn’t. Because…

**_Even if I wanted to, I simply cannot do it, Zero… I don’t want to cry in front of you… You must never know how much you unintentionally hurt me; if you love Iris then I have no right to oppose it. Who am I to do that? I only wish for your happiness… And so, I won’t cry in front of you, I won’t concern you with my troubles, I refuse to put additional weight on your shoulders as it is._ **

I swear that I experienced some sort of epiphany right then. It was as if my thoughts had broken out from the chaos they had formed, and everything was now crystal clear. _I had found a permanent solution to my dilemma. I was going to fix this._

Seeing as I wouldn’t look at him anytime soon, Zero gently pushed my chin upwards with his hand, giving me no choice but to raise my head. In normal circumstances, my cheeks would have fired up instantly, but thanks to my new resolution I proceeded to do what I thought was needed, what I believed was best for everyone involved.

“Zero, what’s wrong? You have me worried here.” I asked while giving him my warmest smile.

He couldn't hide his bewilderment.

When he didn’t answer, I continued, “I came down here to borrow a ride chaser and take a stroll around the city. After all those days inside my room, I wanted to go out and distract myself. But you don’t seem well, what is going on?” I added, looking as innocent as possible, smiling as if _absolutely nothing_ troubled me.

Zero couldn’t grasp how my whole attitude and facial expression drastically changed in the blink of an eye. It baffled him so much he ended up changing his plans. I had successfully disarmed him.

“I wanted to check on you. I saw you taking an elevator to come here and since you’ve been holed up in your room for a while now, I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Ah! Was that it? Please don’t worry about me, Zero. I’m fine, truly.” I smiled at him again.

How fake of me…

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll get going.” I said while getting on the ride chaser. “See you later!”

“X, wait.”

I stopped, a shiver going down my circuitry.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

What a relief…

Except, when he said it, he didn’t sound completely sincere. He even looked… How could I describe it? As if he was… disappointed somehow.

I turned the engine on and went on the underground highway through the main gate, fearing that if I stayed one more second alone with him, I would regret what I had done.

* * * * * *

I took a long ride among Abel City’s underground buildings, trying to distract myself – in vain – and throughout my abscondment, the wind was blowing my tears away. I only considered returning to base when I felt there was no longer water in my reserves.

I parked the ride chaser in its place and when I was waiting for the elevator to arrive, I told myself:

**_When I’ll get on this elevator, I won’t cry again because of this unrequited love. Never again…_ **

* * * * * *

The following day was already Saturday, and so I knew I had to eat lunch together with everyone as promised to Cinnamon. Wishing to talk to her in private before our meeting, I went to visit the Repair Center early in the morning and found her watering pink tulips in a vase on her desk. I knocked before coming in, even though the walls of her office were made of glass. The automatic doors opened and I went in.

“X!” She was surprised and very happy to see me.

“Cinnamon, how are you?”

She quickly approached and hugged me.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in years!”

I smiled with sadness.

“How are you feeling?”

“A little odd to be honest… I have no clear memories of the past days… I only remember the thoughts that brought me out of my misery.”

I was talking about the thoughts in which I had acknowledged I was being selfish, that I had been thinking only about me and not Zero’s happiness, or when I realized much worse things were happening to others, that I needed to mature and be stronger.

“What happened, X? Were you sad? Marino, Axl, Zero – everyone was worried sick… Alia even lied to your unit, she said you were hurt during a mission and that you were being repaired and asked me to lie to those that came asking for you… I knocked on your door many times but you gave no sign of life.”

“It was because of Zero and Iris…”

She lowered her eyes with grief and sighed.

“I thought so… You heard they were going out?”

“Actually, I saw them kissing and that’s how I knew.”

Cinnamon raised a hand to her mouth in surprise.

“But please, don’t worry about me, I’m doing better now. I just need to get used to the idea and I’ll be fine.”

She nodded but I think she didn’t believe me completely.

“Listen, about today’s lunch, I’ll cancel it.”

“I appreciate it but you don’t have to, Cinnamon. It’s best if you don’t cancel so everybody can see I’m feeling better. I don’t want to worry them any longer.”

“But, what will you say if someone asks you why you isolated yourself like that?”

“The same thing Alia told my hunters.”

“Will Zero believe you?”

“To tell you the truth, he loathes getting in other people’s businesses. He doesn’t demand explanations for your actions but he’s there when you need to talk; and if you don’t want to open up about something, he will never pressure you. Besides, I’ve already confronted him.”

“Really? How did it go?”

“He didn’t ask why; he just wanted to know if I was okay.”

“That is so like him! I suppose you told him –”

“I told him I was perfectly fine. I caught him off-guard and he didn’t insist. Can you believe I told him that with a smile?” I said, disgusted with myself for lying to my best friend.

“That was brave of you, X.”

“On the contrary…”

“At least let me do something for you! If Iris comes with Zero to lunch, I’ll tell her she wasn’t invited and I won’t let her in.” She announced with closed fists and sparkling eyes that proved her determination.

Her joke made me smile genuinely for the first time since that terrible event days prior.

* * * * * *

After talking to Cinnamon, I knew I had to go see Signas to apologize and declare that the 17th unit was active once again. As you would expect, the guilt was torturing me while I walked to his office.

Alia was the most talented navigator in the organization and thanks to that she had become Signas’ right-hand. The only relative downside to this was she had also become his secretary, but when I arrived in front of his office, Alia wasn’t at her desk. Since I didn’t know when she would be back, I decided to go see Signas nonetheless. Most probably due to a technical issue, I was about to announce my presence when the doors in front of me opened automatically. The leader of the Maverick Hunters was startled and promptly turned the holographic screen of his computer off. Before his screen faded away, I caught a glimpse of a Reploid-sized capsule whose model I hadn’t seen before, but I didn’t pay much attention to it as Signas surely had access to countless confidential information…

Despite this, he declared calmly, “X, I’m pleased to see you’re back.”

The leader of the Maverick Hunters was seating behind an extensive u-shaped desk. Behind him, a panorama of the electronic forest could be admired through a wall of windows.

“It’s good to see you too, Signas. I needed to talk to you but Alia was away. The doors opened automatically; I didn’t mean to come in unannounced.”

“It’s alright.”

“I… I sincerely want to apologize for my sudden disappearance. It was very unprofessional of me. I don’t want to take up much of your time, I just came to let you know my unit and I are once again active and deployable as soon as needed.”

“Understood.”

I remained quiet, surprised that Signas accepted my apologies without any fuss and didn’t even ask why I secluded myself – although I was very grateful he didn’t – and wondered what Alia could have told him.

“In fact, you came in at the right time, X. I have a very important mission to entrust to one of my best units. Since you’re already here, I’ll summon Zero.”

My artificial heart skipped a beat. When I had come to Signas’ office, I hadn’t expected to see Zero of all people.

Signas simply had to push some buttons on his desk to send an alert directly to Zero’s system. It was a specific alert that all unit commanders recognized – accompanied by coordinates – and meant the Maverick Hunter’s leader was summoning them.

Less than a minute passed before the leader of the 0th unit announced his presence.

“You can come in, Zero.”

When he set foot in the office and saw me, his eyes widened slightly, although the rest of his expression remained inscrutable as usual.

“X… Good morning.” He said before standing beside me in front of Signas’ desk.

“Good morning, Zero…”

But Signas didn’t give us time to exchange additional words.

“X, Zero, I wanted you both here in my office because I have a mission of extreme importance to entrust to whoever volunteers among you. Knowing the Repliforce, you must suspect they didn’t come just to say hello. This may sound crazy to you, but they’ve asked for our help. You must already know they have four bases around the world. It so happens their base in the US is in a critical situation: there’s been a Maverick uprising and they’re on the verge of losing it. One of your units must go and assist the Repliforce as soon as possible.”

“What? But that would be reckless!” I exclaimed. “Signas, I sincerely would like to help but we cannot afford to lose a whole unit. We are so few already…”

“Is that so? It seems to me you weren’t thinking that when you decided to take four days off without informing anyone about it.”

“Signas…!” There was a short moment of silence where I felt tremendously ashamed. “You are right, it was extremely irresponsible of me… If one of our units must go to the US, it ought to be mine.”

I gasped when Zero seized my arm impulsively – an impulse that was instigated by anger.

“Wait a second!" He exclaimed. "How long is this mission supposed to last?”

“As long as required I’m afraid. It can be a matter of weeks, months, or even years if the situation doesn’t calm down.”

“And what happens if Sigma decides to come back in that period, eh? You know more than anyone that only X and I as a team can beat him.”

“If that happens, I’ll give the order to the 17th unit to return ASAP. Although, I don’t think that’s what truly bothers you, Zero.”

Zero instantly let go of my arm, feeling slightly uncomfortable. His reaction made me understand what Signas meant and I felt the warmth of a blush crawl up my neck. Even Signas had noticed how much we cared for each other.

“The Repliforce has already left but negotiations lasted multiple days. The decision has already been taken and there’s no turning back now. In exchange for our help, they will also assist us in the future. It’s our chance to form a very needed alliance. As you will surely understand, behind all these formalities lies a diplomatic agreement with long term benefits.”

Although both Zero and I didn’t particularly like the idea, we couldn’t deny its great interest.

“When does the mission start?” I asked.

“I will allot an airship for your departure next Saturday at 0800.”

When hearing this, Zero exhaled with severe irritation.

“I guess my presence is no longer required. I’m leaving.”

When I was left alone with Signas to listen to the mission details, I did so with a heavy heart.

* * * * * *

I didn’t waste time. That same morning, I organized a training session with my unit. But as soon as the digital clock in the Training Center displayed 1 PM, I knew I couldn’t postpone it any longer. This was the last step to take. During Cinnamon’s lunch, if I managed to stay unruffled in front of Zero and Iris and what they now were, if I was able to fool all my friends into thinking I was doing fine, I wouldn’t have to worry anymore. The hardest part – my first confrontation with reality – would already be over and then I’d only need to keep up the façade until my departure.

I won’t lie and say I wasn’t apprehensive, but when I arrived at the meeting spot I have to admit my steps were taken with determination. I was fifteen minutes late so I found the complete group already at the table, chatting away. Zero and Iris were there as well, although they looked practically isolated from the rest, sitting at one end of the table. When they saw me, many stood up with surprised faces. They probably had been talking about me and wondering if I would come.

“X! You’re feeling better?” Massimo asked with concern.

“Alia said your energy levels were completely depleted on a particularly tough mission.” Marino said with a frown, her worried expression unbecoming of her.

“Yes, I had to spend _days_ in my charge pod…” I lied while avoiding eye contact with Zero. “But I have fully recovered now. I’m sorry I made you guys worry.”

“There’s no need to apologize, what matters is that you’re okay.” Alia said and I nodded, planning to tell her later how grateful I was for her help.

Embarrassed by all the attention I was getting, I sat on the only remaining seat left without wasting another second. In front of me, Axl and Nana smiled at me with relief.

The same pink tulips I had seen Cinnamon water hours before had been put at the center of the table, and just like last time the room was beautifully arranged. Small talk filled the silence while small mechaniloids brought our starters.

Possibly to make sure I was okay, many struck up conversations with me during lunch. Others did it to distract me from the newly formed couple, although they would never admit it. At that point in time, most of my closest acquaintances knew I was in love with my best friend. Only Signas, Douglas, Lifesaver, Massimo – and Zero himself of course – had no idea. Marino and Alia had their suspicions, but Axl, Nana, and Cinnamon knew.

Despite Zero not talking to me, overall conversations flowed well among the group. But I couldn’t blame him. I knew he was mad at me because I had easily accepted to leave the country.

I couldn’t believe how many things had happened since seating at that same table a week before. With Iris seating at Zero’s side, I felt lucky that my friends were all there with me. Having my most cherished people around me is what made it all bearable.

But my subtle happiness didn’t last, as I started to realize the consequences of my decision. I would have to leave Japan indefinitely to a place where I wouldn’t be able to make valuable memories with any of them. Although, that was probably the best solution to my problem. Perhaps that way I could forget Iris’s repetitive kisses on Zero’s cheek or overlook that the two were holding hands under the table… I would never get to see Zero as just a friend – that was certain – but the distance separating us would help me alleviate the pain that smothered my heart. The Repliforce had left but Iris remained behind. Who knew how long she’d stay by his side?

Throughout the meal, I did everything I could to distract myself from the new couple but it was nearly impossible… My eyes always ended up going back to them. The human nature that Dr. Light had built me with and that Reploids had inherited from me was irrationally masochist…

But while getting to observe Iris for a longer period and seeing her interact with others, I started to notice something. Zero used to tell me I trusted others too easily, and it’s undeniable that his former navigator had never been my most cherished person, but now there was something in her eyes that didn’t even spark trustworthiness. It was an unexplainable and unfounded feeling that was hard to ignore. What had happened since last time we’d seen her? Something about her had changed.

In the end, when everyone started to stand up and leave, I sighed with utter relief. It took all I had but I managed to endure the harsh reality that was right in front of me. It was thanks to the support of Cinnamon, Alia, Axl, and Nana, to the presence of Marino and Massimo, and to the fact I was leaving soon. In a week, I would be eleven thousand kilometers away and wouldn’t have to relive the painful experience.

When we exited the transformed meeting room, Axl and Nana took me aside to talk. But when we saw that Zero and Iris were immersed in a conversation not too far ahead, we couldn’t avoid staying quiet and practically spying on them. Thanks to the hallway’s echo, we managed to overhear some words. I quickly understood she had to go somewhere.

“Axl, Nana, I’m sorry but there’s something I need to do.”

“Now?” Axl complained.

“What do you need to do?” Nana asked, noticing how serious I got.

Zero and Iris separated and started to walk in opposite directions. I knew I had to act right away.

“I’ll explain later, there’s no time now.”

While Zero disappeared from my line of vision, I abandoned the disappointed faces of Axl and Nana to follow Iris. My instincts told me I had to do it.

* * * * * *

I had no idea how Iris was able to access the hangar and borrow a ride chaser. When the gates to the exterior opened and she rode away on the subterranean highway, I took my ride chaser and took off before the gates closed. I was taken aback by her speed so it was a miracle I didn’t lose sight of her. Since ride chasers didn’t make noise, I could follow her without being heard. I just needed to stay far away from her to not be noticed.

Iris took a path that went to the surface. If she wasn’t going to the city, where was she headed? Once outside, a few minutes passed before the ex-operator left the highway and entered the artificial forest. It was so sudden I feared I had been caught, but it didn’t deter me. I couldn't see her anymore but thanks to the traces the vehicle left on the grass it was easy for me to follow her. The artificial grass was not crushed but slightly flattened, as the bikes glided a few inches above the ground. But either way, I could see which path she had taken.

Half an hour passed before Iris finally put on the brakes. Hidden among the trees, as if digested by the forest, lay a small abandoned building. I slowed down and braked, hiding behind massive bushes. Iris dismounted from her motorcycle and entered the structure.

**_Wait a minute…_ **

Although severely deteriorated – most probably by the Eurasia crash – the facade was extremely familiar to me. Wasn't there where, years ago, a real tragedy had transpired? Despite the degraded walls and the countless vines that seemed to want to swallow the building, memories began to flow through my processor. The building had once been a research laboratory, where numerous experiments had been carried out to eradicate the Maverick virus. One of these experiments had gotten out of control, releasing the virus and leaving all scientists and lab employees vulnerable. Within minutes, dozens of innocent Reploids had been contaminated, and the Maverick Hunters had been tasked with eliminating the threat.

I was part of the unit that received the mission that day. It had been at the beginning of my career as a Maverick Hunter, therefore my experience in the field was very limited, and in all honesty, I was extremely apprehensive. I remember the terrifying fight that took place inside me knowing I had to eliminate these Reploids – people who few hours before had been working to exterminate the same virus that was now consuming them…

Back then I was still under Zero's command. It had happened during our first war against Sigma, months after he had rebelled against the human race. I remember that despite hardly knowing each other, Zero had perceived my internal struggle, and had said these words to me before entering the laboratory, “I get your hesitation. I felt the same way at first. Just remember that the souls of these respectable Reploids do not deserve to be disgraced by such a virus. I know they’d prefer to be eliminated before becoming what they so desperately wanted to destroy. In addition to protecting others from their threat, we’re putting these Reploids out of their misery.”

I was taken aback by his words and the tone of his voice; before that, my commander had seemed cold and unapproachable.

What was Iris doing here? The place had been classified as high risk. We had sealed all points of entry but the system had seemingly been hacked since then. Was she aware of the danger? I wasn’t particularly fond of her but she didn't deserve to become Maverick nonetheless. Nobody deserved it. Just like Zero had said years ago, there was no worse fate for a Reploid than to become a Maverick.

If it was in my power to prevent it, then I had to do something, even if it meant betraying my presence and revealing to Iris why I had followed her. Without wasting another second, I was about to leave my hiding spot when someone grabbed me from behind, an arm around my chest preventing me from moving, and a hand over my mouth that ended up drowning out my cry of surprise.

"X, it's me."

They withdrew their hand from my mouth.

"Ze… Zero?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far!! Next chapter will come sooner than this one did. :)


	7. WARNING

“X, it's me.”

They withdrew their hand from my mouth.

“Ze ... Zero?”

When I recognized his voice, I felt all my circuits freeze. I couldn't believe it… I had been following Iris without knowing that I was being followed as well. By being so focused on her, I hadn’t noticed.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Zero released me and I turned to see him, feeling nervous. What scared me the most was what might be going through his head. The way he had asked the question felt as if he knew the answer and only wanted to hear _me_ say it.

“I followed her here because… I have no valid reason, I just felt I had to…” I managed to say despite my embarrassment.

“That’s not what I meant. Were you seriously considering going inside those infected ruins without a second thought?”

My electronic heart skipped a beat when I realized what had infuriated Zero. If my recklessness was what had angered him, I had to answer him firmly.

“Iris mustn’t be aware of the risks; I have to do something.”

“I don't think you’re aware of the risks either, you were practically rushing in. And don't underestimate me, X. I know very well why you followed her, and why you wanted to go after her. It's not because you're worried about her. It's because you think Iris has gone Maverick.”

“Zero!” I blurted out, mortified. “She’s… your girlfriend… and yet, here I am, suspecting her of being… I’m ashamed, I hope you can forgive me.” I wanted to look him in the eyes to show my sincerity but I felt so guilty that I couldn't hold his gaze. “But if Iris isn’t currently a Maverick, she might be after leaving those ruins. I have to get her out of there before it is too late.”

“Then stay here, I'll go after her. My body has proven to be highly resistant to the virus, and its presence only increases my specs.”

During the Eurasia space colony accident, we discovered that the virus only seemed to make him stronger.

“What? Those were exceptional circumstances! What do we do if the laboratory is so rife with the virus that it exceeds your resistance level? It's too dangerous, you’ve got to let me go; I cannot be infected thanks to the thirty years of tests that Dr. Light put me through.”

To this Zero replied, “That has yet to be verified.” And a few seconds passed in silence as he looked into my eyes with a level of gravity that denoted his concern for me.

I knew right then he wouldn’t change his mind.

“No matter how much I insist, you won’t let me go, will you? But we don’t have time to spare…” A quick pause where I searched all possible solutions. “I’ve got it: let's go in together. This way we can read each other's data and monitor any anomaly as soon as it presents itself. And if one of us begins to feel any symptoms, we both leave right away. Agreed?”

Zero also knew he wouldn't be able to change my mind.

“Agreed.”

We shook hands and entered the laboratory.

* * * * * *

Despite the lack of power, I could see thanks to the sun rays that seeped through the moldy windows.

“I remember we sealed all entry points but we came in through the main entrance as if nothing… Who could have hacked the –”

I stopped talking when I saw Zero ask for silence with a hand gesture. I immediately understood we weren’t there to rescue an innocent Reploid who had ventured into these ruins by accident. From Zero's point of view, we were on a stealth mission to catch a Maverick red-handed. When had he grown suspicious of Iris?

As we checked all rooms of the old laboratory in silence, I kept an eye on my partner’s data for any abnormalities that might arise due to the virus. I had yet to notice any changes when Zero pointed out that he had found the brunette.

We hid on either side of an interior window that looked out into a large room filled with vast desks, outdated computers, and scientific contraptions. Down there, Iris was walking towards a corner of the room where a capsule was located. The capsule was similar to those where Dr. Light’s hologram appeared. She stopped in front of it and a few seconds passed before the machine came to life. A hologram was instantly generated by the capsule, taking the form of an elderly human in a lab coat, with hair shaped like bat wings and a thick mustache. His whole demeanor didn’t inspire trust.

**_Who could that be…?_ **

Zero and I exchanged glances. Upon recognizing the man from the hologram, a strong expression of surprise mixed with disgust had pervaded his face. I felt very uneasy.

“I come to report my progress, doctor.” Iris announced.

**_Doctor…?_ **

“Then speak.”

“Zero’s on his way, I'm sure he followed me. We just have to wait now.”

“Did you train with the armor I gave you?”

“Of course.”

“Wait, I can feel them. They’re already here.”

“They?”

“They’re hiding upstairs. Dr. Light's last creation is with him. Don't you dare disappoint me.” His cruel voice echoed through the room one last time before the hologram faded away.

“It’s time to confront her.” Zero said as he activated his Z-Saber.

Without wasting another second, he smashed the window with his fist and leaped through it into the room below. I had no choice but to follow him, a sense of foreboding tightening my throat.

Iris turned to face us when we landed on the ground on the other side of the vast room.

“Thanks for coming, _my love_. I was waiting for you. Although, I did not expect to see you accompanied.”

“I knew I couldn't let you out of my sight, that something was wrong with you Iris. Who were you talking to?” He retorted.

“I think you know perfectly well who I was talking to.”

“Iris, please tell me your intentions are good, that this is all a misunderstanding…” I couldn't help but interrupt the conversation. “Or that you’re acting against your will, that you’ve been forced to do this.”

I recognized I was being extremely naive but I couldn't help but have a modicum of hope. From the bottom of my heart, I didn’t want to have to take down another victim of the virus… but she replied to me with a chilling laugh. I knew right away that a fight would be inevitable – as was the case with all Mavericks before her – and felt the bitterness of such realization on my palate. I reluctantly activated my buster.

“What is your goal? What will you gain by following that man’s orders?” I asked, my voice tainted with frustration.

“Although our motivations differ, the doctor and I want the same thing… Soon you’ll know Zero’s true personality, X." A satisfied smile touched the corners of her mouth.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, sickened.

Zero lost his patience.

“The words of a Maverick are of no use to me…” He said as he started walking towards her with a menacing aura.

Upon seeing him approach, Iris leaned against one of the many desks. For a fraction of a second, I thought I saw her reach for a device on the table with her hand and press a button, but by the time we both realized it, it was too late. I only had time to protect my face with my arms before a series of explosives detonated throughout the room except for where Iris and the capsule were.

For a moment, time seemed to come to a halt. My vision was completely obscured and my sound sensors ceased to work. The blast waves made me lose balance and I felt the intense heat of the flames on me, followed by a terrible pain in every square inch of my body. In the blink of an eye, warnings of all kinds flooded my system. My body was in critical condition and I lost consciousness for a few seconds. When I finally managed to open my eyes, I struggled to look up in search of my best friend. Black smoke permeated the air and I could hardly see around me.

“Zero! Are you okay!?”

But I got no answer.

The smoke finally dispersed enough for me to perceive a three-meter-tall robot in the position previously occupied by Iris, with purple armor and a pair of imposing steel wings on its back. Was this the armor the mysterious doctor had built for her? Just as Dr. Light used to do for me through his hidden capsules?

Zero had yet to give a sign of life when Iris lunged at me. Due to my state, I could barely get up and reactivate my buster that she was already flooding me with blows.

“You’re just a nuisance! Die, X!” She yelled as I gritted my teeth in pain.

I fired at her as she was beating me and managed to push her away. I kept firing at her to get as far away as possible and gain the time to charge my buster before she approached again. But when Iris was finally several meters away, her right hand transformed into a buster and she too began to charge her weapon.

Suddenly, something struck her violently, pushing her towards a wall and destroying it in the process. It happened so quickly I couldn't make out what had happened, but by hearing the familiar sound, I understood right away. The cacophony that now flooded my sound sensors was being generated by Zero's saber: he was destroying Iris with his weapon. I had never seen him attack with such violence.

Whereas the explosives had brutally impacted my system – and Iris’s mighty armor had almost finished the job – Zero appeared to be in top shape. I was relieved to see him well but the feeling didn't last. His armor looked severely damaged but I felt a great amount of energy coming from him. Actually, the amount of energy he emitted was _excessive_. A deep violet aura covered his entire body and I could sense it when reading his data: it was Zero and yet, it wasn’t the same… A terrible realization hit me.

**_Please tell me he wasn’t consumed by the virus!_ **

The old research lab had a very high concentration of the virus and due to the explosives, I assumed my partner's system had become too weak to protect itself. Had this been Iris’s and the doctor’s plan all along?

With the virus’s influence, Zero was more powerful than ever before. Iris was unable to touch him even once and it took him less than a minute to beat her. The massive robot fell to the ground defeated and quickly vanished, leaving Iris’s normal body in its place, on the verge of losing consciousness.

As Zero approached her, Iris struggled to speak.

“Even if you kill me now… I’ll die with the satisfaction of knowing I accomplished my goal… Do you recall when I told you my feelings years ago… and you rejected me? You brought this upon yourself…” She articulated with difficulty while laughing, finally revealing why she had returned to Hunter Base.

Despite recently becoming a couple, I figured Iris had suffered too much those past years to suddenly forgive Zero. With an ego inflated by the virus, it had surely become a matter of pride as well.

In response to Iris's revelation, I watched in horror as Zero planted his saber on her chest and dragged the weapon through her body towards her face as she screamed with pain.

“No!” I yelled, denying the reality that lay before my eyes.

**_This isn’t Zero anymore… Give me back my best friend!_ **

Hoping Lifesaver – or anyone for that matter – could turn him back to normal, I had to bring him back to the base. Though I would have to fight him and bring him back by force, I had to find a way to do it.

Ignoring me, Zero walked to the capsule where the mysterious hologram had materialized. In the meantime, I tried activating my Ultimate Armor as I knew I would be needing it imminently. But I couldn't complete the transformation – after all, I was barely able to stand. How on Earth would I stop Zero in the state I was in, especially knowing the virus made him even more powerful?

“Don't worry, X. Don't think I've forgotten you.” He said before blowing up the capsule with one of his techniques called Ryuenjin*.

He then started walking towards me with a sinister smile, his intense aura of violet energy practically blinding my eyes. His ominous footfall was accompanied by the noise his saber generated; it sounded like the sword was ravenous.

“Zero, you are not yourself!” I exclaimed before he reached me. “The explosives – their destruction allowed the virus to enter your system… Please tell me you’re aware of this!”

“Of course I’m aware of it. What, you thought I would deny it? And to be honest, there is no better feeling.” He admitted. “This is what freedom feels like… Nothing saddens me, nothing affects me, nothing torments me anymore. All my doubts have died out and the answers to my questions are now clear. I feel like my eyes are open for the first time.”

A dismal silence in which our gazes did not deviate from each other.

“X, listen to me. Year after year, we keep fighting Sigma, defeating new Mavericks, murdering our colleagues and friends when they’re infected, and history repeats itself with no indication that the cycle will one day stop. Their factories will never cease building new Reploids that will eventually become Mavericks, and Sigma is undoubtedly immortal. It is an endless cycle. We are wasting our lives… And all that for what? For the humans’ wellbeing? _They_ decided to create us. It's _their_ problem if it backfired. Not ours.” Even without picking up the pace or raising his voice, I could feel a deep rage behind each one of his words.

“But human beings are inherently good, they don’t deserve what’s happening to them!” I exclaimed. “Do you remember Dr. Cain? He didn't let you die even though you had proven to be dangerous to society. He trusted you and decided to save your life. And Dr. Light? He built me with the goal of ensuring a peaceful world for both robots and humans alike. He knew that both races needed each other. And thanks to our strength, we are the ones who can do something to remedy the situation. I have not once stopped dreaming of a world where the human race coexists with Reploids peacefully, learning from one another. I know the cycle has an end, Zero.”

His eyes became even colder.

“Your naivety will make you waste your life and you will die for them, without them showing a single ounce of gratitude. I will not allow us to waste any more years of our lives. I'm going to destroy them all.” He ended up revealing.

I immediately aimed my buster at him, horrified by his words.

“What are you planning to achieve in the state you’re in, eh?" He sneered. “Your whole body is shaking, and it’s not only because your energy levels are low, but also because you don't want to hurt me, right?”

“It's true, I don't want to fight you… I hate violence above all and you are – by far – the person I least wanted to fight… But this isn’t your true self.” I admitted, terribly anguished.

“I'm not looking to hurt you. Deactivate your buster.”

“I will if you promise me that you will harm no human being.”

“Do you know why I destroyed Iris and that old man's capsule? Because I don’t tolerate people trying to manipulate or control me. Do _not_ be one of them.” He responded with an intimidating tone.

I looked into his eyes carefully. I could see in his gaze – which I no longer recognized as Zero's – that he would carry out his threat to _destroy them all._ He was convinced of it. Thus, I gained the courage to start shooting at him. But as soon as I did, he propelled himself towards me, dodging every one of my plasma shots with great dexterity, closing the distance that separated us in a matter of seconds. Right away, I felt an intense burn followed by pain coming from my arm: Zero had cut my arm in half with his saber and my buster fell to the ground rolling away. Not a second passed that he punched me in the face. It was with such force that I let out a second cry of pain and fell on a desk behind us, my legs dangling from the table at knee-level, coughing up some of the fluids that ensured my inner mechanisms.

A dangerous smirk spread across his face.

“I thought I didn't want to hurt you but I could get used to your moans.”

As he said this, he climbed on top of me to restrain my movement, and when I managed to hit him back with my remaining fist, I barely hurt him and it didn't take long for Zero to grab my wrist, lift it over my head and tightly hold it down against the table.

“How persistent… Do you want me to cut your other arm off?”

I looked back at him with extreme frustration.

“It’s not even fun, fighting you like this. It's too easy. Let's postpone this when you've been repaired.”

He sheathed the Z-Saber behind his back and cupped my cheek with his now free hand.

“But before I let you go, I want to hear you moan again.” He said while stroking my lips with his thumb.

Confusion reigned in my head. I assumed he intended to torture me, but if that was the case then why was he looking at my lips with what appeared to be greed? I got the answer to my question soon after as Zero brought his face close to mine to kiss me. I was completely taken aback but managed to turn my head in time to avoid it. He snickered at my reaction. It didn't deter him either. He started kissing my cheek, slowly going down to my jaw, and finally to my neck, causing me to violently blush.

“Stop… What – what are you doing…!” I gasped.

The feeling of his breath on me, of his mouth nibbling on my neck… It was all too much.

I was so confused by his behavior that I was speechless, and even if I could have moved, I wouldn’t have known how to react. On the other hand, having witnessed his sadism, feeling such terrible frustration due to my powerlessness, and above all realizing that there was a high probability he would never be the same again, the pain inside my chest muted everything else. And so, without being able to stop them, tears began to blur my vision. My sorrow was so strong I couldn't even cry in silence.

When he heard my sobs, he stopped.

“You're weeping?”

Right then, I realized that moment was my only chance.

“Yes, because it breaks my heart to see you like this… But underneath those layers of aggression, rage, and chaos, I know that you are still there, fighting… You have admitted to me in the past that becoming a Maverick would be worse than dying… So I know you are deeply disgusted by your actions. Zero, I want you to fight with all your might! I know that you’re able to free yourself from the virus’ influence with your willpower, for you have already shown me that your tenacity is admirable.” I managed to articulate despite my state.

"Shut up."

“I concede we aren’t used to expressing our feelings, but I want you to know that I cannot imagine a life without you at my side, that you are what matters the most to me on this planet…”

“Shut your mouth!”

“Zero, you are the one who brings color to my harsh reality… So please, come back…” I begged him, tears running down my cheeks.

Akin to a miracle, my sincerity shone through because he suddenly shut his eyes with a jolt of pain. He got off from me and I quickly understood a struggle was taking place inside him. Disheartened that there was nothing I could do to help, I watched him growl in pain until he was shouting, his hands clasping his head while the light of his helmet’s blue gem flickered. Finally, after a long minute of torture, his violet aura of energy dissipated and his eyes suddenly opened wide, their color fading away.

He immediately fell to the ground unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (*) The Ryuenjin technique, also known as the Dragon Flame Blade, is when Zero engulfs his Z-Saber in fire and attacks while jumping and rotating on himself.
> 
> The title of this chapter may have spoiled the fact there would be a Maverick "boss", but the twist was there were two Maverick bosses instead of one, with two very different methods to beat. XD


	8. His Reason to Fight

"Zero!"

I used the last remnants of my energy to get up from the desk and approach him. I knelt by his side with difficulty and brought my remaining hand to one of his shoulders.

"Zero, wake up!"

**_And please tell me you're okay!_ **

I was shaking him and after a few seconds, he finally regained consciousness.

“X…”

I practically cried of relief when I saw he was back to normal, but I did everything to hold it back.

"Are you okay? How are you feeling?"

“Dizzy… and my head feels like hell… Where are we?”

“In the old research laboratory to the west of the base. We went in to stop Iris.”

“Right… Everything’s coming back…”

“Let's get out of here quickly, okay?” I intervened before he remembered things that would make it very awkward between us.

"Can you walk?" He asked as he slowly stood up, then offered me a hand.

So that I could walk, he helped me support my weight. With his hand around my waist, his other hand holding my wrist and my arm resting on his shoulders, we got out of the building safely. Outside, as we contacted Hunter Base and requested assistance, a sky full of clouds with some sun rays seeping through greeted us.

We were silent as we waited for the teams to arrive, the realization of what had happened when Zero was Maverick finally taking its toll. Reinforcements arrived without delay, including medical personnel to attend to us, specialized mechaniloids to enter the infected building and retrieve Iris' body, and a dedicated team to reseal all the entrances to the laboratory.

When they brought us to the base, the first thing they did was take us to the Repair Center where we met Lifesaver and Cinnamon. Seeing the state of our armors, dry stains of artificial blood near my lips, my severed arm, and my body trembling, Cinnamon's expression turned extremely serious and they hastily lay us down on regenerating beds where our energy reserves would be replenished and our data analyzed. Douglas and one of his assistants came shortly after; they would repair our armors while our systems would be temporarily suspended. But before this could happen, Zero asked for Cinnamon.

“How can I be of help, Zero?”

“I need to speak to X. When we are put into stasis, please connect us so we can have a private conversation.”

I turned my head to look at him, nervous albeit not surprised. He was asking for our consciousnesses to be transmitted into a virtual space whilst our bodies were repaired. I knew that the moment when we would talk about what had transpired would come, that it was inevitable.

Besides, I also had things to say to him.

“Sure, I’ll be happy to. I’ll choose a quiet place where you can talk in private.”

Lying on regenerating beds, our artificial heart rates and other status indicators were displayed on a holographic screen above us. My last thought before falling unconscious was that I hoped Zero wouldn’t see my heartbeat race due to my nervousness.

When I reopened my eyes, I recognized the virtual space that Cinnamon had chosen for us right away. It was a reproduction of the helipad at the top of Giga City’s main tower, the metropolis where Zero, Axl, and I had met Nana, Marino, Massimo, and the young nurse. Around us, the sky had the colors of a sublime sunset.

Zero came into my field of view. He was wearing a solemn expression as he stood near the edge of the large helipad, staring at the horizon.

To calm my nerves, I quickly broke the silence.

“Zero, I was meaning to ask you… The man from the hologram, you seemed to know who he was?”

“That’s right. He sometimes appears in my nightmares… I think he’s the one who built me although – as you surely noticed – he had other plans for me in mind.”

**_What? That devious man was his creator? He seemed so different from Dr. Light…_ **

I decided to change the topic of conversation and move on to what I most wanted to say.

“Zero, about Iris… I'm really sorry… I never got to know her well, but I know that no one deserves to become a Maverick.”

“Absolutely… That old guy took advantage of the fact she held a grudge against me to make her his ally and help him execute his plan. As soon as she got back to HQ, I felt something was wrong with her, so I did everything to get close to her and confirm my suspicions before taking any rash decisions.”

Apparently, Iris had confessed her love for him years ago but had been rejected. This time around, Zero had reciprocated her feelings but his purpose was to get close to her to investigate her. The revelation stunned me and made me feel like a fool; I had completely misunderstood everything...

“But from the moment she got infected, there was no choice but to eliminate the threat, although she did not deserve to die that way."

“I’m honestly really sorry…”

“It’s okay, X… After so many years of wars, I'm practically used to seeing our teammates become Maverick and having to retire them, as cold as it may sound.”

I was very saddened to hear him say that. It was – without a doubt – the most traumatizing aspect of our jobs as Hunters.

“Then… everything you said about the human race and the recurring situation we’re in, do you honestly believe that?” I walked up to his side at the edge of the helipad, an ocean of orange clouds in front of us.

“Of course not; I was full of rage and devoid of empathy. Everything I said about the current situation, I admit those thoughts have crossed my mind during the most difficult moments of the war, but I have always dismissed them immediately. When I begin to believe that our struggle has no end, I remember your words when you spoke to me about Elysium with conviction – that vision of yours of a world where humans and Reploids coexist in peace – and those thoughts quickly vanish.” A pause in which I felt a huge relief. “X, I believe in you. It's the reason why I keep fighting.”

Moved by his words, I lowered my head. I was overwhelmed by a strong feeling of gratitude that I did not know how to express to him.

He turned to face me.

“The main reason why I wanted us to speak alone is that I owe you a serious apology. I remember everything that happened back when I was Maverick. The worst thing is that I was completely conscious, but my actions seemed normal to me and I was convinced of what I was thinking, saying, or doing. I know it was because of the virus but that doesn’t justify everything. For what I did to you, believe me when I say I’d understand if you decide not to forgive me.”

Zero had been under the influence of the virus so his aggressiveness was to be expected. What was difficult for me to understand was that he had tried to kiss me, plus what he had done later… If he hadn’t managed to free himself from the virus, how far would he have gone? I chose not to seek the answer to that question.

In any case, my reply was clear, “Of course I forgive you.”

Zero looked astounded. He couldn't believe I had forgiven him so easily.

"You mean it?"

I nodded my head as I gently smiled at him. He smiled back at me, an expression of immeasurable relief adorning his gorgeous face.

“Incredible, no heart out there can compare to yours. I thought you’d at least want to hit me, and I would have fully deserved it. I want you to know that my cheeks, eyes, or nose are at your disposal if you ever change your mind.”

I laughed.

“I also wanted to thank you. Without your words, I wouldn’t have gone back to being myself again.”

“You don't need to thank me for that, Zero.”

He stared into my eyes with a deep expression of gratitude. Starting to feel my cheeks burn as I remembered everything I had revealed to him in that moment of despair, I quickly broke the silence.

“At least this experience allowed us to verify two things. First, Dr. Light's thirty years of testing have most probably granted me immunity, and second, you’re able to nullify the effects of the virus with your willpower.”

I immediately regretted my words when I saw Zero's expression darken.

“I agree with the first. But the second…”

“The second?”

“Nothing, forget about it.”

I encouraged him to continue but he never finished his sentence.

“X, you must rest now. You have to be completely turned off to recover in the quickest time possible.”

Seeing I was hesitant, Zero insisted.

“See you later, buddy. Get better soon.”

"Wait!"

But it was too late. Zero's projection had already faded, leaving me on the helipad alone with my thoughts.

* * * * * *

It took over four days to be fully repaired and when I regained consciousness, Zero was no longer laying on the regenerating bed beside me. According to Cinnamon, his repairs were finished in two days. As we had infiltrated a highly infectious area, Lifesaver had had to inspect us thoroughly but our diagnostics had luckily shown no trace of the virus. Cinnamon called it a miracle although Lifesaver was still a little anxious about it.

I also heard that Alia, Axl, Nana, Marino, and Massimo had each stopped by to see how we were doing but Lifesaver hadn't let them in no matter how much they insisted. Therefore, I was very grateful when I learned that Cinnamon had taken it upon herself to keep them posted.

Just like Zero, the first thing I had to do when I was discharged from the Repair Center was to write a detailed mission report, although I excluded the part where he had tried to kiss me on the lips or when he was nibbling on my neck... It was so embarrassing that I preferred to die rather than include those in the report!

I later learned that when Signas notified the Repliforce of the infection and subsequent loss of Iris, Zero took the time to do a video-conference with her brother Colonel to give him more details and express his sincere condolences. However, the fact he’d also been under the influence of the virus had to be omitted to avoid a possible misunderstanding.

That week, despite thinking I had grown closer to Zero after our virtual conversation, I was surprised to see him more distant than ever. There was a possibility he was trying to give me space, believing I needed it after what had happened. Another possibility was that he was still ashamed of what he had done to me and preferred avoiding me for the time being. Although he was probably avoiding me without doing it on purpose. Knowing him, the fact he’d come so close to turning Maverick haunted him. That must have occupied his thoughts completely.

As a consequence, even though I’d discovered that Zero hadn’t been in love with Iris, my desire to confess my love to him now seemed like a distant dream. A selfish dream even. So many things had happened in such a short time: I had lost consciousness during my very first attempt, I had accidentally witnessed my secret love kiss someone else, I had been given an assignment outside of Japan with no specified duration, Iris had even passed away and Zero had been closer than ever to becoming Maverick… It was as if fate itself was telling me not to reveal my feelings to him.

**_Maybe I should give up on that dream…_ **

Either way, I would be leaving to assist the Repliforce in the United States in less than a week, and so my priority had to be my new mission. And thus, after I departed from the Repair Center, I organized long training sessions with my unit daily.

During one of our morning sessions, I noticed Axl and Nana waiting for me outside the simulation room.

“Good morning! Were you guys waiting for me?”

"Good morning X." Nana replied. "Cinnamon told us what happened, we are very relieved to see that you’ve made a full recovery."

“Forgive me… I feel like I've been worrying everyone a lot lately…”

“That’s an understatement!" Axl exclaimed. “By the way, you both could have shared your doubts with me, you know. I would have helped you destroy Iris!”

“I know Axl, but I didn’t grow wary from the beginning. And Zero never told me he had suspicions too.”

“Still, you two are on a whole other level! I spoke to her multiple times and I never sensed something wrong.”

“X, there’s something we wanted to tell you…” Nana suddenly said, looking very serious.

“We tried to tell you after Cinnamon's lunch last Saturday but you didn't give us time.”

**_I think I have an idea of what this is about…_ **

Puzzled, Axl and Nana exchanged looks before continuing.

“When you locked yourself in your room for a few days and you didn't speak to anyone after seeing Zero and Iris kissing, we went to talk to Zero…”

“I got really mad at him and told him it was his fault.” Axl finally admitted, feeling just as guilty as Nana.

“We are so sorry… We explained that you were in love with him…”

“We wanted him to take responsibility.”

“Actually, it’s okay. Even if I do not approve of what you did, I understand that your intentions were good and why you did it.”

They both sighed with relief.

“But don't you dare reveal my secret one more time, okay?” I added firmly.

“Understood!” They responded in unison.

“You know, by complete chance, I got to hear your conversation that day. That’s why I was prepared when Zero came to confront me later.”

“You already knew then?” Axl asked, astonished.

“Right… He said he would ask you in person.” Nana mumbled. “What happened?”

“Miraculously, I managed to avoid it. I think he was already very skeptical and my behavior abolished any remaining doubts.”

“But X! You could have taken advantage of the situation to tell him your feelings! It would have made your work easier.” Axl remarked.

“Well… I was convinced he was in love with Iris.”

“Then nothing has changed between you two?” The operator asked.

“Nothing has changed, no.”

Nana looked disappointed whereas Axl seemed irritated.

“But Zero wasn't really in love with that girl, was he?” He asked. “He played that role to get close to Iris without letting her know he was on to her. When he was discharged, I went to see him and that was what he told me. Your plan to confess your feelings to him still stands then, right?”

“I know, he explained the same thing to me but… To tell you the truth, I have decided not to tell him after all.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Why?” Nana added.

“Signas entrusted a new mission to me and my unit the other day. Saturday morning, we leave for the United States to assist the Repliforce, and we don't know when we’ll return. It all depends on how quickly we can calm the situation over there.”

“Oh no…” Nana muttered.

The red-haired Reploid was speechless. He was completely demoralized.

“Axl, everything’s going to be fine. Who knows, I might already be back next month. Nobody knows.”

“My friend, you have to kick those Mavericks’ asses and be back as soon as possible!” Although he sounded determined, I could sense his sadness through his body language.

“I promise.” I smiled at him.

To comfort him, I said I would perhaps return in a month, but in all honesty, I knew it could never be that soon. The thought filled me with melancholy…

* * * * * *

On Friday afternoon – the day before my departure – I received a message from Cinnamon with some coordinates, wanting to see me that night after my training session to bid goodbye to me.

Following her coordinates, I walked to the other side of the Maverick Hunters’ headquarters, passing in front of the digital library and the cinematheque of the Entertainment Center, until I stopped in front of a large double door which led to a place I hadn't been before. I pushed the doors open but couldn't see inside because the room was engulfed in darkness. As soon as I entered, the place suddenly lit up.

“Surprise!” Cinnamon, Alia, Axl, Nana, Marino, Massimo, and Zero all exclaimed.

I didn’t understand what was happening so I was momentarily paralyzed.

“Welcome to your farewell party!” Cinnamon explained.

I covered my face with my hands, ashamed that I hadn’t realized it right away and because I was the focus of everyone’s attention. Many laughed at my reaction. I also did it because I was moved; I didn't believe I deserved any of it but I was full of happiness and gratitude.

The group had secretly organized a small farewell party for me, and to that end, they had booked the base’s planetarium. In the center of the rotunda, a large selection of high-quality sushi and beautiful bottles of renowned sake had been placed on a circular table for eight. The dome-shaped ceiling was a giant screen that surrounded us, from the ground to the highest point. The display changed automatically from time to time, transporting us to a beautiful city with fireworks in the sky, a beach at midnight during a meteor shower, a snowy forest with northern lights on the horizon, among other dreamlike landscapes, each one of them a starry sky.

I was invited to sit at the table. When we all sat down, Marino poured me a glass of sake.

“You didn’t think we were going to let you leave without saying goodbye, did you?” She winked at me.

“I’m still speechless, I wasn’t expecting this at all… I’m extremely grateful, really.” I said while looking at everyone around me. “Thanks to tonight’s memories, I’ll be less sad tomorrow.”

“I’d like to propose a toast to X.” Massimo proclaimed. “Let your mission be successful and your return swift!”

“Please be careful and return to us safe and sound!” Alia added.

“We’re talking about X here, it’s gonna be a piece of cake!” Axl said and they all laughed.

We raised our sake glasses.

“Kanpai!”

We started chatting as we sampled all types of sashimi, maki, and nigiri. Some told anecdotes of when we were in Giga City, revealing for example their first impressions of each one of us, like when Zero had chosen to continue the mission on his own because he didn’t trust them – he had even called them the dregs of Giga City and they now laughed about it – but he had eventually demolished his walls of mistrust and had slowly formed a bond with each one of them. Looking back at that chapter of our lives, it was impossible not to mention Spider, but we all managed to talk about him without sadness or resentment thanks to the time that had elapsed since then.

At one point during the night, Axl brought a couple of mysterious bottles to the table. The liquid inside was vibrant purple, and he told us it was a drink designed to obtain a delicious flavor while completely hiding its strong alcohol content. And so, when Cinnamon took me aside in the middle of the party, I realized that the alcohol was starting to affect me. This surprised me because I thought that only human beings could be affected by alcohol, but I imagined that Dr. Light had built me that way to facilitate my integration into the human world. Therefore, everyone had inherited this peculiarity since Dr. Cain had built the first generations of Reploids based on my blueprints.

Cinnamon took hold of my arm and led me away from the table. I noticed from the coloration of her cheeks and the change in her demeanor that she too was starting to be affected by Axl's drink.

“X, come with me, I have something to tell you.”

“Is it good news or bad news?” I joked.

She giggled while we walked away from the table.

“Do you know who had the idea of planning this party for you?”

Seeing her level of enthusiasm, I immediately guessed who it could be, although it was hard to believe.

“Could it be –”

“It was Zero!” She squealed loudly and I was immediately afraid he had heard us because we weren’t far from the table and the volume of the music was low.

“Cinnamon, lower your voice!”

When we took a discreet glance at Zero to see if he had heard her, I was mortified to discover he was in fact looking our way.

“Maybe we should talk about something else…”

“But I'm not done yet, listen to me, okay?” Her emerald eyes were shining brightly. “Zero suggested we organize a farewell party because he was sure it would make you happy. And he recommended the planetarium because he thinks you’re fond of stars.”

“Of stars?”

**_Does he think that because I offered to count the stars that night when I tried to make my love confession?_ **

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. When we sat back at the table, I couldn’t look at Zero in the eyes anymore.

Knowing I had to wake up early the following day, the group decided to end the party around 1 AM. I had a great time with everyone and felt it was the best way to spend my last night at the base. That’s why I expressed my gratitude to them once again. When it was time to say goodbye, Alia, Marino, and Nana warmly shook my hand but Massimo, Axl, and Cinnamon hugged me. Zero remained a bit behind when this was happening. When there was only him left to say goodbye to and I approached him – nervous because I didn't know if he was going to shake my hand or hug me – Zero suggested that I have one last drink with him. His proposition made me blush since I didn't think we'd be alone that night, but my cheeks were probably already red from the alcohol so he wouldn't see the difference – or so I hoped.

He asked me to sit in one of the planetarium seats whilst he filled our drinks. I was relieved to see him pour me sake instead of opening one of Axl's bottles. I think another glass of that drink would have defeated me as easily as Vile at the beginning of my career!

“You okay there buddy? Your face is quite red.” Zero observed as he handed me my glass, right before sitting next to me on the comfortable reclining seats.

“I'm fine, that must be the drink Axl brought…”

“Right. I did notice everyone acting slightly different tonight.” He chuckled.

“What about you? Don’t you feel any different?”

“No, alcohol has never affected me in any way. When I drink, I do it only for pleasure.”

I assumed his creator hadn’t thought of giving him that specificity, and I wasn’t surprised. Based on what I had seen a few days earlier, he evidently hadn't built him to socialize with humans.

“By the way, I was told the idea of organizing this party was yours. Thank you very much, Zero. It honestly made me very happy.”

“It's not a big deal, I just came up with the idea and the place. The rest we did it as a group.” He drank his sake. “Did that mundane fact make Cinnamon want to let you know, even going so far as to take you aside?”

My artificial heart jumped in my chest and I regretted my words. He was on point.

“You're right, I don't know why she treated it as confidential information.” I laughed nervously and took a sip of sake not knowing what else to say.

There was a short silence before Zero changed the subject.

“Are you ready for tomorrow? Have you been training?”

“Yes, every day since I was discharged. I feel a little more ready now that I spent time with everyone and said goodbye properly.”

“Good to hear.”

“And you, how have you been since our conversation inside the virtual space?”

“What do you mean?” He asked, his smile fading away.

“I imagine that being so close to going Maverick for good has been worrying you a lot, right?” I dared to ask (the alcohol may have helped with that).

Knowing him, I was taking the risk that he’d stop the conversation and leave. Fortunately, Zero seemed more receptive that night.

“You’re right. I haven’t been able to sleep well since then. Hurting you and cutting your arm off haven’t been the best feelings I've had to be honest. And it’s not even the first time I’ve hurt you.”

He was referring to our battle after the Eurasia crash.

“Zero…”

“I would hate to fall under the influence of that damn virus again. The first time, only my power increased, but this time I completely gave in.”

“Those were very specific circumstances; you won’t find yourself in similar situations so easily.”

“In any case – no, let's change the subject. I didn't ask you to have one last drink with me to talk about depressing things.” He said as he reached for the sake bottle and refilled our glasses.

I didn’t push my luck any further.

“Anyway, did you notice Axl has gotten closer to Nana? I think that brat is hiding something from us.” He smirked.

And that’s how we started talking about lighter and happier topics without seeing the time go by. Around 4 AM, Zero realized what time it was and decided that he should let me rest. The moment to bid farewell had arrived. Although I didn't want to admit it, I could have stayed with him until the very last minute like that…

Seeing how sadness was taking over me, he said, “I'm not going to give you generic sayings like ‘everything’s going to be fine’ or ‘you'll see that time will fly by’ because I know they won't change a thing. What I do know is that you can overcome any obstacle, X. I have said in the past that your big heart is your weakness, and yet I consider you to be the strongest Reploid I know, physically as well as mentally. Destroy those Mavericks for me, got it?”

He raised his arm and we bumped our forearms as per tradition. The metallic noise echoed throughout the room.

**_Zero, I’ll do everything in my power to return as soon as possible. So that I can spend such valuable moments with you as well as our friends. It’s a promise._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "What am I fighting foooooooooor?!" The legendary question is finally answered in this chapter lol.
> 
> Next chapter will be the finale! Are you ready? :D


	9. In Search of An Antidote

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The finale is already here! Thank you once again for giving a chance to my story among all the great ZeroX fics out there! I hope you've enjoyed the ride. :)

Instead of sleeping in my quarters, I used one of the charging pods in the common rooms as those models allowed hunters to recover their energy levels two times faster than the usual models, perfect when multiple missions had to be completed in a short period. I managed to rest a little over three hours before my internal clock woke me up. Anxious, my eyes opened with the speed of a plasma shot. As the hatch rose and I stepped out, I felt as if I had ingested a multitude of rocks, and while I made my way towards the lobby, I couldn't help but walk as if Earth's gravity had doubled.

I went out through the main gates of the base and there it was, in front of the building, the blue whale-shaped aircraft that would transport us out of the country for an unknown duration. Of the twenty hunters in my unit, only a few had already arrived. As soon as I entered their field of view, I adjusted my posture, my walk, and my facial expression. I was their unit leader and thus I absolutely couldn’t show my lack of motivation.

“Good morning commander!” The girl who saw me first was my strongest soldier, a Reploid with white armor and short sky-blue hair by the name of Glace.

I greeted everyone and we waited for the rest of the 17th unit before boarding. As I resumed my role as a unit leader and exchanged words with the hunters who relied on me, I progressively gained strength and resolve. When they all arrived and we boarded the aircraft, and as I settled into my seat, I was finally at peace with my decision to cancel my love confession. There had been too many signs against it to ignore them any further… Although I felt I was sacrificing something deeply important, I knew I had to focus on a new chapter of my life.

We were about to take off when I suddenly heard some kind of commotion inside the cockpit. I immediately grew concerned, thinking it could be a Maverick attack. I was ready to move at any moment. But within a minute of the commotion, one of the aircraft doors opened, the escalators unfolded automatically and Alia came into the ship. She was trying to catch her breath as her gaze scanned the crew, and when her eyes fell on me, she approached with a great sense of urgency.

“X, you must come with me right away!”

“Alia, what’s wrong?”

“We don't have much time so I'll explain on our way there, okay?”

“What about the mission?”

“Let your unit go first and join them later.”

Seeing the level of anxiety on the navigator's face, I didn't press further and got up from my seat straight away.

“Listen, everyone, an emergency has arisen and I won’t be able to accompany you right now. I will join you as soon as possible. Meanwhile, I leave Glace in charge.”

I turned to look at her and she nodded. Many looked worried after hearing the word emergency and seeing Alia interrupting our mission, requiring my aide, but I had complete confidence they would do well on their own while waiting for me to join them later.

“Follow me!” Alia exclaimed.

We got off the ship in the blink of an eye and re-entered the base.

“Alia, what is it? Please talk to me.” I asked while on the move.

“I overheard a conversation between Signas and the Chief Scientific Officer. It seems that for a while now, Zero has been instigating a project with a team of scientists where he’ll be the subject of an experimental procedure, the goal being to eliminate any risk he could ever go Maverick. But to accomplish this, Zero has to be sealed in a capsule for more than thirty years while his system goes through a series of tests… According to the CSO, it’ll be impossible to interrupt the procedure once it’s initiated and the expected results are not even guaranteed.”

“What…?”

“I'm so sorry… I swear I didn’t know of this before this morning because if that were the case, I would have already told you.”

As we took one of the many elevators to access the basement, Alia seized my upper arms.

“X, the procedure is taking place at this very moment! Maybe there’s still time to stop it!”

“They’ve already started!?”

As soon as I realized what was about to happen, a wave of panic flooded my entire system. The cruel news was difficult to process and even harder to accept, and despite this, I was left with no choice but to react immediately. Zero had decided to undergo this procedure without even giving me a heads up, but I didn't have time to feel hurt.

Realizing I would be unable to be by his side or speak to him during thirty interminable years, a searing pain seized my chest, making it hard for me to breathe.

The elevator doors finally opened. We ran in the corridor and Alia scanned the emerald gem on her wrist so we could enter the R&D department. As we stepped inside, a few Reploids among the present took their eyes off their computers or experiments to look at us. The surprise was apparent on their faces. Without delay, I approached one of them and asked for Zero.

“Why would commander Zero be here?” He answered.

But it seemed to me that he was feigning ignorance. I clenched my fists.

“Is he here or not?”

“You’re both not supposed to know about this…” Another scientist stated.

Alia and I exchanged looks. Our worries were being confirmed.

“Please take us to where Zero is being sealed.” I demanded.

“That is confidential information… I am sorry but we don’t have the right to do so.”

Time was running out and yet there we were, blocked on our path in such an absurd way…

**_I can’t believe I won't even have the chance to try to stop this! They don't realize how much Zero matters to me, the decision is certainly easy for them to make… What a cruel injustice…_ **

“Please, I beg you! Take us to him before it’s too late!” I asked the whole room.

There was a long silence in which I thought it would be the end, until suddenly, one of the scientists stood up from his desk.

“Commander X, I’ll take you. It’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for us.”

I sighed with immeasurable relief and thanked him deeply.

He led us to a specific spot in the room near one of the walls. Once there, he activated with his voice a scan of the gem on his helmet. In front of us, a gate concealed within the walls swung open at once.

“Down the hall.”

“Thank you very much, I won’t forget what you did.” I told him before going in.

Alia and I ran in the short corridor and through the automatic doors at the end of it. We stepped into a room that was smaller than the previous one, divided in its center by a glass wall. From where we stood, we could only see the backs of a group of Reploids in long white coats who were observing something through the glass. Hearing the automatic door open, several among them turned their heads. Signas was within the group and when he laid eyes on us, he approached us before we could advance any further.

“What are you two doing here?” He asked in a low voice – despite being visibly upset – so that others wouldn't hear him.

“X needs to speak to Zero.” Alia claimed without fear of her superior.

“Alia, what have you done?”

“I know this was a confidential project, but X deserved to know!”

“That is not what Zero wanted!”

“Now is not the time to argue…” I interrupted. “Signas, please.”

My sorrow was so tangible that I caught them off guard, and the astonishment calmed them down.

“Since you're here and you already know everything, what else can I do… I'll let you talk to Zero although – if that's what you were planning – I highly doubt you'll change his mind about this.”

We made our way through the group of scientists and reached the glass wall. On the other side of it, I could now distinguish a three meters long capsule, parallel to the floor in the center of the chamber. I immediately remembered I’d already seen that model on Signas' screen when I had gone to his office the week before to apologize, although I did not know its purpose at the time. Cables of all kinds connected it to a series of computers and a blue artificial light emanated from the interior through a glass panel, granting a cerulean tint to the rest of the room. I realized that Zero was already inside the capsule because a scientist was taking a look inside via the tiny window. Right away, I feared he had already been sealed, and when Signas opened the door that stood between me and my unrequited love, I made a desperate dash towards the machine.

“Commander X? What are you doing here?” The scientist who seemed to be in charge of the process – certainly the CSO – asked me.

“He just came to say goodbye, professor Liberto.” I believed I heard Signas say, but my whole attention belonged to the capsule and the one inside.

I brought my face closer to the glass panel. Lying inside, Zero stared back at me, his face filled with disbelief. I could only see his head through the glass.

“X…?”

“Zero! You are still conscious!”

“Wasn’t your ship supposed to take off at eight? How did you know I was here?”

“That’s unimportant now… Zero, are you certain you want to go through this? Is this really the only way?”

He sighed.

“Yes, I am convinced.” He replied without hesitation.

“But Zero! Thirty whole years in which you can’t be awakened, no matter what? In that state, you won’t even be able to virtually communicate with anyone, you’ll be completely unconscious!”

“I know. Regardless, it is a small price to pay to make sure I will never turn Maverick and end up hurting you or someone else again.”

“But it may not work…”

“Why wouldn't it work? After years of research, they finally managed to extract and decrypt all the data from the capsule you were discovered in. It’ll be the same tests that you passed.”

“The CSO himself said the expected results are not guaranteed!”

“And he’s right, but I think it’s worth the risk.”

Each new word that came out of his mouth made me more and more disheartened. He was fully convinced this was the solution…

“How can you be so nonchalant about this? You weren’t even planning to tell me…”

“Because I knew you would object to it and turn a necessary decision into a complex dilemma.”

I took a deep breath.

“I understand that your worst fear is going Maverick one day, but please know I will always be by your side to help you fight the influence of the virus if the situation arises. As long as I'm alive, I’ll never let you stay Maverick for long. We did it together in the infected laboratory and we will do it again as many times as necessary.”

He kept silent. At least he didn't deny it.

“Zero, please reconsider! I – _We_ need you here with us!” I begged.

“I’m sorry X, but I’ve already made up my mind.”

“Then, when you told Signas you didn't want me to leave the country in case Sigma attacked again, that only the two of us can defeat him together, you didn’t honestly believe that?”

“To be honest with you, I was making excuses. I simply didn't want you to leave. I know you are strong enough to defeat Sigma alone.”

“No, that's not true…”

“X.” With the tone of his voice, he made me understand I was being unreasonable.

“After everything I revealed to you…” I was referring to what I’d told him in a moment of despair when he’d gone Maverick. “You still chose to do this…”

**_What a fool I was to think I deeply mattered to him…_ **

“Because you have Alia, Axl, Cinnamon, Nana, Massimo, and Marino, and also the members of your unit. Seeing how they all respect and appreciate you, I knew I would be leaving you in good hands.”

“You don't understand, it's not the same…”

How could I make him understand?

“X, please. Don't make this decision harder than it already is…”

He was finally showing some emotion…

Right then, the professor approached.

“Commander, shall we begin?” He asked.

“Yes, let’s start.”

“Zero, please wait!” I desperately placed my hands on the capsule as if it could prevent him from being put into a coma for over thirty endless years.

“It’s going to be a long period but you will never be alone. Until I return, I know that you can count on Alia, Axl, and the others and that reassures me. My body will be sealed in here but my thoughts will be with you.”

“In thirty seconds, you will enter a comatose state. The reactivation is scheduled for the year 21XX.” After a small hesitation, the professor walked over to one of the computers and executed a command.

An automatic countdown started.

“No… This is not fair…” I complained, my eyes filling with tears.

Zero closed his eyes as if to proclaim the end of our conversation.

_“Twenty-five seconds left.”_

Accepting at last that I wouldn’t change his mind, that I couldn’t prevent what was going to happen, that I only had a few seconds left to talk to him before he fell into a deep sleep… I couldn’t suppress the words that my voice generator began producing as if I had lost complete control over it.

“When I admitted you’re the one who matters the most to me on this planet… That you’re the person who brings color to my harsh reality…”

_“Twenty seconds.”_

“What I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while is that my feelings for you go beyond even that…”

_“Fifteen seconds.”_

I painfully squeezed my eyes shut, unable to accept the reality that lay in front of me.

“Over a year ago, I realized you were more than my former commander, my mentor, or my best friend…”

_“Ten seconds.”_

“Zero, I… I fell in love with you… Without any possible antidote for it…”

_“Five seconds.”_

“Without meaning to, you ended up becoming my whole world… I… _I love you…_ ” I revealed at the end of it all, leaning over the capsule, my eyes shut tight while teardrops fell on the glass panel.

I had taken into account all the signals that destiny seemed to have sent me and canceled my plans to tell him my feelings, only to change my mind at the last second… How pathetic was I?

Breaking into the darkness – against all odds – I heard Zero's voice exclaim, “Wait! Pause the process!”

_“Countdown suspended.”_

The procedure had already been initiated; I didn’t think it could be stopped at that stage!

I opened my eyes, unable to believe what had just happened. The sheer astonishment stopped my tears abruptly. Through the glass panel, Zero was looking at me, but my confused state made his facial expression difficult to decipher. It was surely a mixture of various emotions, although shock was the most apparent of them all.

“X… All this you’ve just told me; do you seriously mean it?” He asked with immense gravity while looking straight into my eyes.

Before answering him, there was a silence in which I cowardly faltered for a moment, until I realized that pausing the countdown did not necessarily mean a change of heart.

“I… Yes, it's the truth…” I admitted as I held my head down.

More than ever, it was hard for me to look him in the eye.

Suddenly, an electronic sound emanated from the capsule and I looked up. Its hatch was opening! Under shock, I moved away from it.

**_This can’t possibly be happening…_ **

The blue light from inside the machine blazed across the room as Zero sat down, put one foot outside the capsule, then the second, and finally stood outside.

I instinctively took a step back, his majestic figure intimidating me like never before. I was pale because I had no idea how he would react. He advanced towards me – his facial expression was still indiscernible – and when I took another step back, he took another step forward. This peculiar dance repeated for a few more steps until – as space was very limited – my foot hit the glass wall that separated the room in two and I found myself unable to escape any further.

Since I was stuck between the glass and Zero with no place to run, he was able to close the distance and stand right in front of me. Then, without taking his eyes away from mine, he gently put his hands on either side of my face.

“Ze… Zero?” I looked back at him, swimming in a sea of confusion.

Only when he started to bring his face close to mine did I realize what he was planning to do, and as my electronic heart started to beat at the fastest speed possible, Zero kissed me. When his lips touched mine, I felt a voltage surge go through me, ignoring not a single square centimeter of my body. The strange yet pleasant feeling was almost overwhelming; it was as if my core wanted to detonate in the form of fireworks.

**_Am I dreaming or did he just kiss me…?_ **

I was so amazed I didn’t even react to his kiss. For that reason, still cupping my face in his hands, Zero kissed me one more time, trying to get a reaction from me. This time at least I had the reflex to close my eyes, although I still couldn't grasp what was happening and what it all meant.

When he drew away, he smiled for the first time since I’d found him in that dreadful chamber. The look he was giving me was both implausible and sublime.

**_His gaze… I didn’t think Zero was capable of expressing such affection…_ **

“Let's get out of here so we can talk in private. We’re putting on a show.” He said as he signaled behind me.

I turned around. On the other side of the glass wall, Alia, Signas and the group of scientists awkwardly gaped at us, just like the professor who had remained silent and motionless throughout the scene next to his computer. Between Zero's kisses and the realization that several Reploids had witnessed it all, due to my embarrassment my processor was dangerously close to overheating.

“Or better yet…” Zero turned toward the person in charge of the procedure. “Professor Liberto, could you give us a minute?”

The scientist nodded, still looking flabbergasted. He walked through the door in the glass wall and asked the others to follow him out of the room. As they were leaving us alone, I thought I saw a big satisfied smile touching the corners of Alia's mouth.

It was now just the two of us, but my nerves wouldn't let me utter a single word.

“Are you okay?” Zero asked when seeing me overcome by shyness. “You had so many things to say to me when I was in the capsule and now that I'm out, you’re completely quiet?" He laughed.

The harmonious sound of his laughter calmed my nerves and I mustered the courage to ask the question I needed the answer to, “You put the procedure on pause but… for how long?”

“I didn't think it possible but – for better or for worse – I've changed my mind. I'm going to have to apologize to professor Liberto and his team for wasting their time because I'm no longer a volunteer for the experiment. Besides, I believe I’ve found _my antidote_.” He smiled. "If I ever turn Maverick again, I’ll need your help once more, X.”

His answer made me overflow with joy and I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. The last time I'd felt so much bliss was when I'd discovered Zero was alive after believing for several months Sigma had defeated him.

“You can count on me!”

“By the way, how did you know I planned to seal myself? And what happened to your mission?”

“We were about to take off when Alia came to see me and told me everything. She accidentally overheard a conversation between Signas and the CSO. My unit left without me but I’ll have to join them as quickly as possible. Please promise me you won't take advantage of my absence to seal yourself, okay?”

He laughed.

“I promise on one condition.”

“A condition?”

“Don't leave today. Wait until tomorrow and let's spend the time we have left together.”

My nerves came back straight away and I blushed.

“Alright…”

“You know, Axl and Nana told me you had feelings for me but I didn't believe them. Who would have thought they were right after all… Were you planning to tell me one day or were you going to keep it to yourself indefinitely?”

“Actually, I tried to confess twice but then decided not to tell you…”

“Wait a minute. When you asked me to meet outside the base, that night you lost consciousness, that’s what you wanted to tell me?”

“Yes… I hope you can forgive me; I was a coward and wasted your time…”

“Stop right there; I’m the one who owes you an apology. I should have been more perceptive and realized your feelings. In any case, thank you for telling me. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I felt this happy.”

“Really? Why?”

“You’re asking me _why?”_ He looked at me, perplexed. “It seems to me you still don’t get it, do you? As you went through so much trouble to tell me your feelings, it’s only fair I also verbalize what I feel.” He paused to gather his thoughts. “X, _I am in love with you too._ At some point during this never-ending war, I realized that you are what motivates me to continue living, although – as you may have noticed – it’s also the reason why I’m willing to die so easily for you. It's not easy to say this but… I love you too.”

“Zero…!” I gasped.

Up to that point, I hadn't fully realized my love was reciprocated. Even though he had kissed me, my phobia of getting my hopes up as well as severe confusion had occupied my head and prevented me from processing the information correctly. For so long, I had forced myself to remove any trace of hope and had done everything to convince myself that Zero cared for me as a mere friend, but I was completely wrong.

“I wasn’t planning to tell you because it didn't even cross my mind that you might feel the same.” He admitted. “In this cruel world, I got used to thinking that something so good couldn’t happen.”

He came close to me again, but this time he hugged me. For a long time, in complete silence. And while I was in his arms, emerging from within me, feelings of serenity and deep happiness washed over me.

And they never released me again.


End file.
